A girl, A captain and an adventure
by Kitty Petro
Summary: A girl named Kitty Petro is tired upp whit her life. She runs away from home and soon find an old woman that gives her a magic ring. Whit that Kitty wish herself to the RLS Legasy and her biggest adventure begins. My first cliffie
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Hi. My name is Cassandra. You may not belive me when i say this but i am a witch. Not those scary witches you see in books. I look completely normal. The only thing that isn't normal about me is that I can do magic and that this has fact has allowed me to help more than one person on numerous occassions. I remember a young girl from way back in the year 2004. Now that was really a story. So...you say you'd like to hear that story, eh? Well, of course! But do sit, dears, as this story of mine is a long one, but well worth the time to hear...

The Year is 2004. This particular story starts in the lovely country of Norway. Have you ever been there? No. Ah, well...it's not nearly as snowy as everybody thinks it to be, and despite the rumors to the contrary, there has never been a polar bear sighted in Norway. But enough about that for the moment...

The center of my story is a fine young girl named Kitty. Now, Kitty's a girl...a sixteen year old girl to be specific. However, she was anything but ordinary. Needless to say, this teen age girl was about to be changed---for the better we hope---after this adventure she was about to embark upon.

Kitty had led a rather horrible life up until we met, poor thing. Despite the fact that she was a rather nice and kindly girl, she was treated as if she didn't fit in at school, mostly because she didn't wear the coolest clothes or chose not to wear makeup. Of course, the situation at home wasn't much better, what with her older brother being lazing about the house all day, drunk and slovenly, forcing Kitty to clean up after him as well as herself. And, yet...despite all this, it was Kitty that received all the abuse from her continually bickering mother and father, who waged a war of verbal abuse back and forth with one another, day after day.

Now, while Kitty might of gotten used to the her parents' complaining and cutting remarks, that didn't mean that their disapproval and harsh words didn't hurt her. Oh no, quite the contrary, in fact. Most unfairly, they blamed her for her brother's bad behavior, shouted at her if she should receive any grade lower than a 'B' when they saw on her school report card. In fact, the last semester, they informed her rather visciously that if this trend continued any further, she could just pack her bags and move out. Kitty felt her whole life was markedly unfair. How was it that she was responsible for her brother the bum? How was she supposed to get superior grades at school when she did all the cleaning, cooking, as well as the wash each week?

Needless to say, Kitty was tired of it all...the whole situation. She felt boxed in, having no control of her life whatsoever. More than anything, she simply wanted to get away from here. Right now, right away! It was then she maded a momentous decision...even though she probably didn't realize it quite that way at the time. She was leaving, and that was that! But, a part of her agonized over this...for if she left, she'd have nothing...no home, no family, no possession but for what she had on her back and in her bags. Overcome with everything, she dashed into her room, threw herself upon her bed and began crying. Now...now, my dears, was that momentous moment I spoke about...so pay attention...

Kitty rolled over and grunted when she rolled over upon her one and only treasure, her DVD of the movie 'Treasure Planet'. Kitty smiled then, as this was the only movie Kitty had ever seen that made her feel good. She liked the character of Captain Amelia, and often wondered to herself about what sort of a person she was, instead of being the heroic Captain. Kitty sighed and rolled over on to her back. She idly thought of her favorite movie, and her favorite character, telling herself that if Amelia had been treated this way, she would of left ages ago. Kitty nodded to herself, feeling more confident with her life-changing decision. That was that, she told herself, she was leaving. She wasn't taking the abuse from her parents one day longer, and she wasn't covering for and caring for her loser of a brother either!

She hurriedly packed a what few clothes she owned, and her cherised Treasure Planet DVD. Then, she turned and saw the red and yellow striped cuddly cat toy that she had loved since receiving it at the time of her baptism. She turned to go, shaking her head wearily as her parents began their nightly row at each other again. She slipped out the back door, glad---and yet, somewhat sad---that not one member of her family even noticed her leaving. She closed the door soundlessly, and then took a deep cleansing breath. Then, she looked once to either side of herself where she stood in the street. She knew that the nearest town was miles away, but frankly at that moment, didn't really care. With a sense of purpose, Kitty started walking toward the nearest town, on her first steps of her long road to freedom.

It wasn't too long, no more than a couple of hours, that she came upon a house. A rather nice, if older house. One that was well-maintained, and had a rather cheery air to it somehow. An older woman was moving her things in from the back of her moving van, and Kitty realized nearly at once, that she was doing it all by herself. Kitty was above all else a firm believer in fairness, and this didn't strike her as fair at all. Without really having to think about it, she decided to lend a helping hand if she could.

"Hello," Kitty called out. "You look like you could use some help. I can help if you like?"

The woman looked over at her and smiled gratefully. "Oh hello, my dear child," the woman said by way of greeting. "And, oh my yes, I could indeed use your help," the woman added, smiling again.

Kitty felt a nice sort of warmth from that older woman's smile, and moved to the rear of the moving van and hefted the first box she saw. "Okay...where do you want this, ma'am?" she asked politely.

"Just take that one upstairs, dear," the woman instructed her. Kitty did so, and thus began the work of the morning and well into the afternoon.

Kitty and the woman soon finished with unloading the boxes into the house, and then both of them stood there, looking at the house and what they had just accomplished.

"Thank you so much, dear," the woman told her warmly.

Kitty smiled. "My pleasure, ma'am," she said, then looked upon her watch. "Oh! I really should get going," she commented, losing her smile---which was quite lovely, by the way--- and turned away to continue on her journey.

"Oh, do wait a moment!" the woman said urgently. "You were so kind to help me, my friend. Are you sure there isn't anything I can do for you in return?"

Kitty just shook her head, smiling again. "No, thanks," Kitty told her. "Really."

The woman put her fists on her hips, her lips thinning. "None of that. I going to have to insist, young lady," the woman told her firmly, having the look she just wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. The woman then smiled a bit mysterious, and dug into one of her pockets. "Ah, I've got the very thing. Do come over her, my young friend..."

Kitty did so...a bit reluctantly maybe, but she did. She saw the woman open her hand, and upon her palm rested a ring.

"I want you to have this, my dear," she declared.

Kitty was stunned, but pleasantly. "Oh no, that's much to generous a gift for what I did!" Kitty protested.

"Tish tosh, girl," the woman countered, smiling. "It's just what a girl like you might need, in fact." The woman slipped the ring over Kitty's ring finger, and then clasped both of her hands about Kitty's. She then added, "Now, about this ring...there's one thing you shoud be aware of, and that this ring is magic. It holds the power to fulfill any wish you might wish for."

Kitty was skeptical, yet hopeful. "It grants wishes? How many?" Kitty asked, intrigued but still doubting a bit. Quite different from most of her countrymen, she believed in magic. That was why she did´nt even consider what the woman was stating a joke. Kitty had read every Harry Potter book she could lay her hands upon, in both Norwegian and in English, and those wonderful book only reaffirmed her beliefs.

"Oh, there's no limit, dear heart. Just as many as you might want," the woman answered smiling.

"The ring itself decides if you are worthy of its power, dear. Now, should this ring falls into unscrupulous hands, it will be nothing more than a normal golden ring. So, don't you worry about bad things happening. Now, do take good care of it, most worthy child."

Kitty was dumbstruck, and gazed down upon the slim gold ring upon her finger. The older woman smiled a knowing smile at her reaction, much as if she had experienced such a thing once in her life.

"Now, should you continue to use this faithfully over a five year period, the ring's magic will transfer itself to you, surrendering it's power. But that's a good thing, as then you don´t have to have the ring to make your dreams come true; you can do it yourself," the woman explained.

"Wow!" Kitty said, nearly beside herself with happiness. "Oh, thank you so much!" she said and hugged the lady gladly. "Thank you, Ms... Um, I never did catch your name."

"Oh, that," the woman returned, laughing. She had a warm wonderful laugh. "I am Cassandra," she said, grinning. "Now, my dear, you had best be on your way home."

Kitty smiled, waved, and turned to go. She slipped the ring on to her finger, and it glowed for a few seconds. She walked along for a while, then found a convenient bench. She sighed and sat down, thinking hard. So...just where should she go? she questioned herself. She wouldn't wgo back and that was for certain! She looked down at the ring upon her finger once more. Hmm, she thought, maybe that was the answer.

"I wish... I wish I knew some place where I could be happy," she wished aloud. The ring glowed briefly again, and Kitty's back pack opened. She frowned, then looked down to the now open bag. There, she saw her 'Treasure Planet' DVD, it's beautiful jacket showing the principals of her favorite movie. Then, it came to her and she smiled a happy smile. She finally knew just what to wish for. She would love to meet Captain Amelia. And perhaps---if the fates were kind to her---they would meet, and maybe Captain Amelia might possibly adopt her. That would be just too cool! Kitty smiled, nodding, and closed and hefted her bag on to her shoulder. She then said loud and clear. "I wish I was aboard the RLS Legacy, just a few years before 'Treasure Planet' took place."

Kitty suddenly vanished...leaving behind a faint tinge of warm golden light that slowly faded away after a few moments time. It was if Kitty had never been there...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

Captain Amelia walked on deck. Three years as a Captain and still she had much to learn. Because this wasn't the Treasure Planet Amelia all the fans knew from the movie. No, this was the eighteen year old Amelia. She had learned the basics of how to command a light ship and the few persons that expressed their doubts to her received very quick lessons as to their shortcomings via Amelia's exemplary skills in both armed and unarmed combat. At this particular moment, she was looking about her ship. She smiled as she heard her First Officer, Mr. Arrow, come up from behind her.

"Morning, Arrow," she greeted him happily. "It's about time you showed up, old man."

Arrow smiled at her wry humor. "Relax, Captain, I'm not one to miss our daily inspection," Arrow remarked, just as cleverly.

Amelia was going to counter his witticism when the the lookout bellowed down to her. "Captain! I could do with a sharp set of eyes up here, if yeh could be so kind that is."

Amelia sighed wearily. "Bloody hell, just what am I, Arrow? The Captain or a bloody lookout?" she grumbled to herself. But, despite her grumblings, she still quickly climbed the shrouds up to the crow's nest atop the main mast. "Yes, Mr. Horu?" she questioned a bit stiffly at her eagle-like look out.

"Appreciate you comin' up, Cap'n. Now, if'n you could cast a look up over to the left a few meters from our bowsprit, then say, up about ten meters or so, an' tell me what you see. I think me eyes are playin' tricks 'pon me, so I do..."

Amelia frowned, but looked where her scout indicated and upon seeing what was there, her eyes went wide. Despite what common sense might tell her, there was a girl, a human girl if she knew her species correctly. "My word!" she exclaimed, then she continued looking up. Amelia knew the girl---whomever she was---who was falling had entered the influence of the Legacy's gravity bubble, and was now plummeting precipitiously toward the deck. Amelia---spacer that she was---knew enough that if she and her crew didn't slow her down, the girl's rate of acceleration would kill on impact with the wooden deck.

Amelia set to her task immediately, gazing about, looking for a solution. "Yes, of course! The sails," she exclaimed, grinning. She began screaming orders. "All hands, unfurl the sails...immediately!"

Everybody knew better than ask why. When this Captain looked and sounded as she did now, you did what you were told to do...and smartly. Not a moment after the solar sails boomed, the girl, her shrieks echoing, hurtled down to the ship, pierced the top sail, then was snagged by the main gallant, where she hung on for dear life. Unfortunately for the girl, she was no spacer, and she lost her grip on the sail and thus went screaming down, clawing at sails, rigging or the shrouds themselves until she thumped to the deck in a undignified lump.

The girl groaned, then tried to stand up. She did managed it, but was a bit unsteady at first. She looked about, then spotted the felinid Captain, and looked her straight in the eye. That was, she did before she fainted dead away, slumping to the deck. Amelia noticed the reddish knot on the poor girl's head, and deduced that she must of knocked herself silly.

Amelia moved over to where the girl lie, and barked an order for her crew to stay back in order to let the poor girl get some air. With a practiced eye, the seasoned Captain looked her new arrival over. Hmm, by the looks of her, about sixteen or seventeen years of age. No doubt a bit of tomboy, what with the cut and style of the girl's clothes. The unconscious girl sported short blond hair and Amelia remembered a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Arrow, take her to my quarters, and set her down on my bed," she instructed. "Mr. Dalley? Do go and inform our ship's doctor, if you please."

"Yes, Ma'am!" the young feline cabin boy replied and ran off to fetch the doctor.

"Now, the rest of you...back to work. This ship won't bloody sail herself," Amelia growled, sending her crew back to their positions, while she took the girl's bag and threw it over her shoulder. Once assured that all was as it should be once more, she made her way aft, and up to her cabin, where she found Arrow waiting for her arrival. She dropped the girl's rather light bag, and then ushered Arrow out, so she could undress the girl and get her into bed.

The ship's doctor arrived moments later, and performed his examination. He then returned, and told Amelia that all that was wrong with the girl was that she had herself a rather minor concussion, and would be fine in time.

Amelia sighed whit relief, which was odd, she thought, as she didn't know this girl from the notorious Captain Flint, really. She then remembered, and picked up the girl's bag and saw a name written upon it. "Kitty Petro. We have ourselves a Kitty, eh?" Amelia said looking at Kitty, where she still lie unconscious. "Well, my dear girl, welcome aboard the RLS _Legacy_."

As soon as Amelia had uttered those words, Kitty stirred and opened her eyes. "Unh..." Kitty groaned.

Amelia stood up from her chair, and moved slowly over to her. "Ah, welcome back to the living, young lady," she said smiling.

Kitty looked up at her and her eyes widened in obvious surprise. She goggled to herself, thinking she had managed it somehow. Wow, did she ever love having this ring! She wondered how many years before Treasure Planet had she appeared before Captain Amelia. She opened her mouth to speak, but Amelia raised her hand to stop her.

"Ah ah. No need to talk, just yet. You've had a rather trying day of things, as well as having concussed yourself," Amelia told her.

Kitty smiled in thanks. She looked over to her bag. "Um, do you think..." Kitty began.

Amelia saw the object of her attention, and gave it over to her. "There you go, girl."

Kitty opened it and took out her cuddly cat toy and gave it a grateful hug.

Amelia raised an eyebrow at this. A teenage girl who still liked cuddly toys was---at least in her own opinion---a relatively rare thing to see. With Kitty now awake, Amelia sat down and began relating to Kitty just what she had occurred. She also informed Kitty just where she was, aboard what vessel, and what rank Amelia was.

Kitty smiled and shook her head in awe. She then said, "You're a Captain of your own ship and you're how old?"

"Why, I'm eighteen, actually. Going to be nineteen come June," Amelia told her, just a bit proudly.

Kitty smiled at that. "Wow, eighteen," she mused to quietly aloud to herself. She had done a lot of research on Amelia after the first time she had sen the movie. Amelia had received her comman when her family had died during a pirate raid when had been only fifteen. Doing the math in her head, Kitty realized that meant that Amelia had been a Captain for over three years now. She remembered reading that Amelia had been a Captain for nearly fifteen years before her foray to Treasure Planet. "Wow!" Kitty said again.

Amelia smiled, the barest hint of pink on her cheeks. "Thank you," Amelia answered back. "You may borrow my bed until you've gotten back on your feet. Then, I daresay we two will go looking for your family and get you to your home."

Kitty smiled sadly, and shook her head. "Don´t bother," she told the surprised Captain.

"Whyever not?" Amelia asked incredulously.

Kitty sniffed, trying desperately not to cry in front of Amelia, but she couldn't prevent a single tear to roll down her left cheek. She then cleared her throat. She then proceeded to tell about her parents and her brother. She told her that she had run away from home, and then had met a woman who gave her the ability to make all her dreams come true.

Amelia raised an eyebrow at that. She was a definite skeptic when it came to magic. Captains were pragmatists for the most part, not prone to believe in fairy tales and all that. "I'm rather afraid you're going to have to prove that to me, my friend...that you know magic, that is."

"Very well, if you insist," Kitty answered, smiling a mysterious smile. "How would you like to be thirty years old for a moment or three, eh?"

Amelia's eyebrows flew up. "You can do something like that?" Amelia asked.

Kitty looked down at her ring. "I've told you already, Captain. I can do whatever I like," she said.

"I see," Amelia said with some misgivings, but gamely lifted up her hand to urge Kitty to give it a try anyway.

Kitty whispered something, which caused the slim gold ring to glow. Amelia gasped as she felt her body suddenly begin to change. When the process finished, she looked over into Kitty's eyes.

"Looking good, Captain," Kitty said, grinning.

Amelia went over to her mirror and stared at her own reflection...only to see that she was now a rather attractive thirty years old. "Whoa!" Amelia uttered quietly, now noticing that her voice had changed a bit too.

"Thank you for your efforts, young lady. Now, kindly change me back, if you please," Amelia commanded.

Kitty did as she was bade to, and back to her normal self once more, Amelia sighed. She looked over at Kitty with a new light of respect in her eyes.

"Very well, then. That was rather amazing, if I do say so myself," Amelia observed with an odd tone in her voice, sitting down at the end of the bed. "Now, Miss Petro---whomever you are---I would like the whole story from you...about how you came to be here, and just how you seem able to make these odd things happen. But first, I'd like for you to explain to me just how you somehow managed to fall some ten meters from seemingly nowhere to land upon my ship...all without any other ships about for you to of fallen off of." Amelia folded her arms before her chest, and gave Kitty a meaningful look, awaiting her answer.


	3. chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Kitty laid back comfortably in Amelia's bed, put her hands behind her head, and told Amelia the whole truth of how she had gotten here. "All right," Kitty began. "This is the truth, even if it sounds a little too good to be true. I saw a movie---one of my absolute favorites, by the way---where one of the main characters was _you_, Captain Amelia."

"You don't say. Now...what´s a movie?" Amelia questioned, her expression curious.

Kitty sighed. "Think of it as a series of moving pictures, all right," Kitty explained.

"Hmm," Amelia said, unconvinced, yet curious still. "Do go on, girl."

"As I said...in this movie, you were one of the main characters. I remember the first time I saw it, and I saw you...and well, I liked you immediately. Even if you were the Captain, I liked you best of all. When I finally figured out that I was heading out on my own and leaving my parents, I met this very special woman---you know, the one I mentioned with the ring---and I figured that if I came here and meet you...well, then maybe I could convince you to let me stay."

Amelia smiled at the girl's spunk and determination. "Of course," she said matter-of-factly. She found she was already becoming a little bit fond of this girl. It was then that Kittys stomach growled with hunger. "Hungry? Hmm, I don't wonder...teenagers are born hungry, I think," Amelia said, grinning slightly at her comments.

"Yes, I'm starved!" Kitty replied eagerly.

"I see. Is there anything you want specifically?" Amelia asked.

"Well...I've always wanted to try a purp, if that's okay with you," Kitty said.

"Wise choice, Kitty. Those...we have plenty of. Now, if you'll excuse me, I´ll be right back with some," Amelia said and went out of her bed chambers. Outside in her stateroom, she meet Arrow. "Ah, hello there, Arrow," she said smiling.

"Yes, Captain?" Arrow smiled. "So, what's the news regarding our newest passenger?"

"I'm pleased to report that she's woken up and requests a purp of all thing," Amelia said, the barest hint of a smile coming to her lips.

Arrow couldn't help himself, and grinned. "Then, I shall go down immediately and see to it, Captain," he said, excused himself, and walked down to the ship's galley.

It wasn't too long and Amelia spotted the young Alexander Dalley, the ship's cabin boy, dashing up the stairst to screech to a halt in front of Amelia. "Here are those purps you requested, Captain," he declared.

"Thank you, Mr. Dalley," Amelia replied, taking three of the purps off of the plate the felinid boy held up. "That will be all," Amelia said dismissing the eager lad, and nodded to him just before she headed back inside her stateroom. She made her way back to her sleeping chambers. Opening the door, she was about to announce that the purps were there, when she noticed that Kitty had fallen asleep...again.

She put the purple fruit down on the nightstand beside her bed, when there came a soft knock upon the door, just before Arrow made his way inside. "Hmm, she looks like a nice girl, don´t you think, Arrow?" Amelia asked.

"Yes, she does, Captain. She does at that," Arrow answered, nodding his head.

"Did you know that she's already asked me if she can stay with us," Amelia said.

Arrow looked over at Amelia, curiously. "And what did you say, Amelia?"

"Well, old man, I will confess that I do like her, rogue that she may be," Amelia said. "And, I suppose that if we train her to be a spacer, we could well, add another member to our little family."

Arrow smiled at that, adjusting his hat. "Then, I suppose she stays," he declared with a grin.

"Thanks!" a voice called out from the bed. Kitty had opened her eyes once more, and smiled at Arrow and Amelia. "May I have that purp now? I'm starved!" she asked.

Amelia tossed one of the three purps to her. Kitty promptly bit into it, and tasted the tangy little purple fruit. "Hmm, not bad," she said by way of commentary.

"One does grow used to them, you know," Amelia said by way of advice. "You see, purps are used in nearly every meal served aboard ship, to prevent scurvy, you understand."  
  
Kitty finished the first purp, then rapidly polished off the remaining two. She then smiled and decided to try stand up on her own two feet.

"It seems you are getting better," Arrow remarked.

"Thank you, Arrow," Kitty said. She then looked at herself in the mirror and mumbled something quietly. Much to Amelia and Arrow's surprise, the girl was instantly arrayed in the attire much like Amelia's own uniform. The main difference was that while Amelia's uniform was blue and gold, Kitty´s was white and gold and without the epaulettes. Her boots were a cream color and sported normal heels instead of the high heels Amelia favored. Her gloves where gold instead of white, but aside from those small differences was nearly identical to Amelia's own. Arrow's craggy eyebrow arched up, which Kitty was coming to understand was his way of expressing surprise. "I got tired of my old clothes," Kitty explained, blinked to hide her own embarrassment.

Amelia smiled and took Kitty's hand in her own. "Very well then, Ms. Petro. I do think it's high time you met our crew. I think they are very much worried about you."

"Oh? Why?" Kitty said blinking in surprise.

Amelia smiled. "You see, for this voyage, I'm here to train some of our latest batch of cadets out of the Academy. This will be their first time out upon the Etherium, and they're here to learn. Now, that's all well and fine, of course, but you must realize that a teenage girl almost literally falling in on what's essential a ship full of teenage males is hardly something any of them are going to miss out on, I would think. Don't you agree, dear?"

"Just let one of them try flirting with me, and I'll show them what's what!" Kitty promised, balled her hand into a fist and scowling furiously.

Amelia only smiled a very mysterious smile, one that made Kitty worried. "That's the spirit, girl! Well, shall we go meet them then, hmm?"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

Amelia walked out first upon the bridge, with Kitty following close behind her. "May I have your attention, please?" Amelia boomed from upon the quarterdeck. When everybody turned their attention upon the Captain and the girl, they stopped working and/or talking and just stared at the two. Kitty looked back at everyone, her face looking like Amelia's: impassive and in charge.

"Now, all hands," Amelia said, loudly and clearly. "I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you all to Ms. Kitty Petro. She will be our newest member of this spacer family and crew."

Everyone aboard, whether cadet or seasoned spacer cheered her. Kitty looked about herself in wonder at all the speacies that were before her. By the ship's wheel stood a pachyderm-like being smiling politely at her. She then turned her attention to a avian, eagle-like creature that waved from up in the crow´s nest. A ursinid was conversing with a simian spacer near the main mast. Then, she spotted a unique being working on the deck just below the quarterdeck, a fellow that made her eyes go wide and her heart pound. There stood a strikingly handsome young male felinid, looking up at her as he took a break from his mopping of the deck. That must be the cabin boy, Kitty thought to herself. She looked over to Amelia, who smiled back at her.

"Now, there's one thing that must be completely clear to one and all," Amelia said to her crew and the cadets aboard. "And, that is that if any of you were to be foolish enough to try flirting with Ms. Petro here, you will most likely find yourselves with quite a fight on your hands. Mark my words. One from Kitty here, and then one second one from me. Is this understood, gentlemen?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" the entire class of cadets said quickly as one.

Kitty stepped forward to address them then. "I just want to say that I look forward to getting to know you all better. Now, since it's my way of thinking that the truth is always the way to go, I will let you all in on one little secret of mine..." Kitty then murmured something quietly and she started to metamorphisize. Her ears became longer and pointed. Her nose and mouth turned into a muzzle and her eyes became much larger. Her whole body changed, both her phsyique and anatomy. When this changing stopped Kitty shaked her head. She turned smiling to the gaping spacers and cadets. "As you can now probably tell, I can perform magic of a sort," Kitty said. "Up to now, I have lived a pretty horrible life. From this point on, I intend to start over...from scratch: new place, new friends, and a new species. This will be me for now. Accept it."

She nodded politely (of course!), smiled and headed back to the stateroom she now shared with Amelia. She smiled at Amelia whose eyes wore a look of distinct surprise at what had just occurred on her quarterdeck. Once fully inside, Kitty smiled at her own reflection in Amelia's mirror. Her face was indeed very much like Amelia's whit minor changes. She didn't have the small mole---to the right and just above her upper lip---and her hair was golden blonde instead of red like Amelia's. That golden hair of hers was quite short, unlike Amelia's nearly shoulder length auburn locks.

As Kitty admired herself in the mirror, Amelia entered.

"So, do you like my new style?" Kitty asked, a hint of a grin on her new felinid face. Amelia rolled her eyes, sighed, and shook her head.

"Kitty? Might I ask you why told everyone aboard about your magic abilities?" Amelia inquired, a bit exasperated.

Kitty waved away Amelia's concern. "Oh, that! Hey, they would of figured it out after a while anyway," Kitty said, still smiling.

"I see. So, might I take it that you mean to perform more of this so-called 'magic' of yours then?" Amelia asked, her face wary but guarded.

All she got for a response was the sound of a drum roll, then a fanfare of trumpets, followed by Kitty's voice saying, "That is correct! You win the grand prize, especially chosen just for you!" That grandiose statement was then followed by a round of ardent applause.

Amelia looked up, then scowled over at Kitty, whose shoulders were now shaking from her restrained laughter.

"How drolly amusing, Ms. Petro," Amelia observed dryly. "I do hope you keep your amazing sense of humor tomorrow once your spacer training begins."

"Of course it will, Amelia," Kitty replied. Kitty then frowned thinking. "Um, by the way, er, just what's that cabin boy's name again?" Kitty hoped that Amelia wouldn't place too much importance upon her asking that question.

"He would be one Alexander Dalley," Amelia responded.

"Hmm...Alexander," Kitty mused aloud. "Pretty cute name for a pretty cute fella...who'd of thought?"

"I see," was all Amelia said, though she did raise one slender auburn eyebrow in just the barest hint of surprise. Kitty turned, and didn't see the wheels working behind those clever green eyes of Amelia, as she moved into Amelia's sleeping chambers to get herself some much needed sleep...


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Kitty laid down on Amelia's bed, and she suddenly smiled. She was finding that being a felinid was just great! It was like being blind your entire life, then suddenly being able to see. Like being deaf, then being able to hear. It was utterly fantastic! She didn't move as she snuggled in, even as the door opened. She could hear Amelia's breath, as she came inside the room.

"It´s absolute pure luck that I happen to have a double bed, miss, or you´d be sleeping in a hammock down with Arrow and the others," Amelia informed her. Kitty looked up at her with her new eyes, seeing her nearly as clear in the dark as if it had been the middle of the day.

"Now, do move over, so I may lie down," Amelia instructed, yawning. Kitty smiled and rolled over to the side to let Amelia lie down. Amelia sat down, dragging off her boots.

"Amelia? How can you stand wearing those heels?" Kitty asked sleepily.

Amelia continued her work, dragging off her last boot. "I wear them because they make my legs...er, they make appear taller," Amelia answered, quickly recovering, as she unbuttoned her jacket to lay it upon the nearby chair. Soon she lay down, clad only in her underthings, and nearly fell asleep at once.

Kitty smiled and laid an arm over Amelia as she slept. She figured Amelia might be a bit young to be her new mother, but as an older sister she fit rather nicely. And with a contented smile upon her lips, Kitty fell fast asleep.

The next day broke, and Amelia awoke to see Kitty sleeping beside her, breathing deeply. The young Captain smiled as she remembered everything that had happened just yesterday. She then shook Kitty gently awake. The girl stirred a little before opening her eyes, yawning. "What´s the time?" she asked, muzzily.

"Six o'clock in the morning, sleepyhead," Amelia answered kindly.

Kitty groaned at that and rolled back over, intending to go back to sleep. "Oh, bloody hell..." Amelia heard before Kitty disappered beneath her pillow.

"Oh, I think not, Kitty. If you are ever going to be a proper spacer, you're going to be up ready to work early," Amelia remarked helpfully.

"But, honestly...six o'clock?" Kitty questioned from under her pillow.

Amelia could only sigh, then took a good grip on Kitty's feet and dragged her bodily out of bed. When Kitty still slept on, lying on the floor in a heap, Amelia sighed and then headed outside to her quarters. She came back before too long, only this time with a good-size bucket filled with cold water, which she promptly cast over Kitty's head, soaking her good and proper.

Now, that certainly got Kitty's immediate attention. "Yeow!" she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet.

"Wakey, wakey," Amelia said sweetly, a mischevous grin on her face.

"You are evil," Kitty told her, water dripping down her nose.

"I'm nothing of the sort, Kitty...but, I am the Captain," Amelia said and started putting on her clothes. Kitty scowled, but did dry her head, and put her clothes on.

After a while, Amelia and Kitty went out on deck. Amelia, once assured that all was well, turned to her new spacer-in-training. "Very well then, Kitty. Let us start simply, shall we?" Amelia declared companionably.

Kitty nodded...it wasn't as if she could do anything else, after all. She then looked about, and out into the Etherium. It was so breath-takingly beautiful that she couldn't seem to get out a single word.

Amelia noticed Kitty's rapturous gaze right away, and understood. "Ah, first time gazing out at the Etherium then?" she asked.

Kitty nodded again.

Amelia simply smiled. "Not to worry, dear. You´ll become used to it after a few days. Now, as to your training, I think I could use a little help now, right off." She then whistled sharply twice, and Alexander trotted over to her, and saluted smartly. "Ah, Master Dalley, there you are. I'm afraid that I find myself in need your most capable assistance," Amelia said. She smiled and continued. "A Captain is a busy person, and I have far too much to do aboard ship to adequately train our young Miss Petro here. Do you think I might impose upon you to help?"

Alex smiled, eager to serve the almost legendary Captain Amelia. "Of course I will, Ma'am!" Alex said, while Kitty glared fiercely at Amelia with an icy stare.

"Ah, good man," Amelia said, choosing to not even look Kitty's way. "I suggest you start with with teaching her basic spacer's knots, and then perhaps, should you find the time, see if you can train her to competently climb the shrouds."

"Yes, Ma'am," Alex said again, smiling eagerly.

Kitty knew what Amelia was up to, well enough. Apparently, her bold comments regarding this cabin boy from yesterday had evidently prompted Amelia to begin playing matchmaker between them.

_Well, I'll get my revenge_, Kitty thought indignantly.

"Very well, Ms. Petro...shall we start then?" Alex asked good-naturedly.

"Sure!" Kitty said, and moved to find a good place to sit down and learn. After a while, and a good many knots later, Alex finished his first lesson with her.

"All right," he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Feel up to trying to climb the shrouds with me?"

Kitty looked up to the heights of the towering masts and swallowed hard, a bit startled. "Eh, um, Alex?" she said, her voice markedly uneasy.

"Yes, what is it, Ms. Petro?" he answered, giving her a querilous look.

"Um, would this be a bad time then to tell you that I'm desperately afraid of high places?" Kitty wheedled, her face pale.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Alexander looked over at Kitty, his eyebrows raised. "You mean...you're afraid of heights?" he asked.

Kitty looked back right into his deep blue eyes. "No, not afraid. More like terrified," she admitted.

"Oh dear, that could pose a definite problem," Alex replied, plainly at odds as to what to do. He thought a moment, then beckoned her to follow, and together they went off to see Amelia.

"Um, Captain? A word with you, please?" Alex said quietly.

Amelia looked over at him keenly. "Yes, Mr. Dalley? What is it?" she demanded, though in a kindly way.

"Well, Ma'am," Alex began, nervously scratching his blonde head ever so slightly. "It appears that Kitty---er, I mean Ms. Petro---is terrified of high places," Alexander informed her.

Amelia arched one slender auburn eyebrow, and looked over at Kitty. She nodded minutely, then chanced a look up towards the crow's nest, and promptly paled and looked away sharply. "Ah, I see," Amelia said wisely. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. You may go about your business then, Mr. Dalley."

"Yes, Ma'am. At once," Alexander answered, and was out of hearing range in a heartbeat.

Kitty looked quizzically over at Amelia, and opened her mouth to speak. Amelia threw up a cautioning hand, urging her to wait. "Not quite yet," she said.

Kitty felt terrible about her stupid fears holding up her training. "Sorry, Amelia. But, I'm just not ready to go up there quite yet. Maybe later I can, after I---let´s say---get a wish fulfilled."

Amelia looked disapprovingly over at Kitty. " I see. You mean you are going to use magic again, am I correct?"

Kitty nodded. "Yep. That´s the only way I can think of. It's either that or else I'll never be able to get up there."

Amelia sighed wearily. "Very well. I suppose we all have our own limitations. Do proceed then...but, if you must, do so discretely, hmm?" she nearly pleaded.

Kitty beamed at her. "Thanks, Amelia!" Kitty said, then turned and murmured something. Her thing gold ring glowed, much brighter than usual. "Whew," Kitty sighed in relief.

"So...just what did you wish for, Kitty?" Amelia asked, curious despite her meager disapproval.

"Oh that. Well, I just wishe I'd become all that I always wanted to be," Kitty answered with a satisfied grin. "See ya!" she quipped before she began sprinting toward the main mast. Amelia watching in awe as the lithe young girl sped toward the main mast's shrouds, most likely to make her way bravely up to the crow's nest. Amelia was therefore suprised when suddenly Kitty reached the main mast---and just continued running. Just kept running...straight up the main mast as if she had magnetic soles on her boots! Kitty run briskly right up the main mast, leaping nimbly over the mains'l platform, alighting once more upon the mast, and from there straight up directly to the crow's nest at the top of the main.

Once there, Kitty stepped over the rail and stood beside the avian lookout, lightly gripping the main mast with one hand. "Hello there, Mr. Horus," she said kindly to the eagle-like being.

Horus politely knuckled his forehead in salute. "Mornin' to you, Ms. Petro," Horus declared, obviously surprised to see her there. "Say, that was a fine bit of quick climbin' you done there, lass."

Kitty smiled, pleased at his praise. "Thanks, it was nothing," she said humbly, yet grinned still. She looked about the small confines of the crow's nest and spotted a painter line. "Well, it was great meeting you, Mr. Horus...but I gotta go," Kitty said by way of farewell, and took hold of the rope, and literally threw herself out from the crow's nest, sliding with confident agility down the rope to land upon the deck with nary a scratch.

Amelia was pleased and impressed, but wondered as she went over to where Kitty stood. "Nicely done, Ms. Petro. But, might I ask why didn't simply do that before, pray?"

Kitty chuckled. "That's easy! Because then I didn't know who you were assigning me as my teacher, silly," Kitty said smiling sweetly. Her expression changed then and became just a bit flinty. "Oh, and by the way, Amelia...just so you've been warned. You try playing matchmaker again between me and Alex and I´ll give you a tail, understand me?" Kitty instructed, pointing a warning finger at Amelia.

"Yes, yes...whatever, Kitty," Amelia said smiling, not taking Kitty's threat all that seriously.

Kitty fumed but chose to say nothing. "So, what now, Captain?" she asked.

"What next, eh?" Amelia repeated. "Ah, I know just the thing, Kitty dear! You're to help our most capable Mr. Dalley prepare and serve our lunch," Amelia commanded.

"Amelia, I'm warning you," Kitty growled quietly.

"Whatever are you worried about?" Amelia asked slyly, then looked into Kitty's blue eyes. They were like shining orbs of fine blue ice...and just about as cold. Amelia blinked and shook her head, realizing that Kitty wouldn't have any problem with her conscience at all in giving her a tail. The very idea of having a tail appalled her, so she stood down from her matchmaker role for the moment. "Oh very well. Do relax, Kitty," Amelia said soothingly. "If you'd rather, you could go and and stand watch with Mr. Arrow. It's his watch now."

"That'll do just nicely, Captain. Thanks," Kitty said, giving her salute and turned and made her way to Arrow on the bridge, whistling all the way.

Arrow spotted Kitty right away as she ascended the stairs to the bridge proper, and he smiled at her. "Good morning, Ms. Petro. I'm afraid I saw everything. So, the Captain's started playing matchmaker again. Only this time with you and young master Dalley she has."

Kitty frowned, and folded her arms across her chest in protest. "I don´t even want to talk about it," Kitty growled at him. She scowled...that is, until she spotted Alex Dalley again on deck. Alex was a definitely one cute felinid fellow. Sixteen years old, and smoothly muscular. He had short, bright blond hair, and a pair of bright blue eyes a girl could simply drown in. She sighed, her eyes dreamy.

Arrow smiled, noticing the subject of Kitty's stare. "Ah, Master Dalley. He is a rather nice young man, and a superb cabin boy," he informed Kitty.

"Watch it, Arrow," Kitty answered, frowning again.

"I'm sorry, Kitty...but it is only the truth. Alexander is a fine young man," he said and laid his huge rock-like hand upon her shoulder.

Kitty smiled at this friendly giant Cragorian. She finally had someone who cared for her, even as a friend. Had she been back home in Norway, she would even now be getting yelled at for not being home on time, and doing everything for her sorry excuse for a family. Then, she gasped softly, remembered something that made her smile brightly. "Arrow...if you'd be so kind to excuse me for a moment?" Kitty asked politely.

"Of course. Be on your way, Miss," Arrow said, nodding and smiling.

Kitty went back inside of Amelia and her quarters. Once inside she went into Amelia's bathroom. She spotted a small glass bottle of shampoo and smiled. She murmured something and an almost identical new bottle appeared in her hand, seemingly out of nowhere. She replaced Amelia's bottle with this one, chuckling to herself in glee. She remembered when she pulled this particular prank on her brother. Of course, that was from before, when he yelled hurtful thing at her each time she said anything to her. But the prank would be wonderful this time too. She was careful to put the new bottle down exactly where Amelia's shampoo had been, then went out laughing at the mental image of Amelia sporting hair dyed bubble gum pink. "Revenge can be sweet," she said to herself and dashed back out to stand her watch with Arrow.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

The next day proved to be a fun one...well, at least for Kitty, it was. Her day of amusement was begun early on with a yell from Amelia after her morning shower.

"KITTY!" Amelia's irate voice boomed within the confines of her stateroom. Kitty, knowing full well what prompted Amelia's howl of outrage, had wisely chose to run out on deck, laughing herself silly at Amelia who had been more than a bit surprised to find she now sported bright bubble-gum pink hair.

Amelia frowned once again at her reflection in the mirror, her eyebrows knitted together in barely suppressed fury. She combed her hair into place, straightened her uniform and headed out to her place on the bridge. There she saw Kitty, her eyes dancing with laughter. Amelia moved to her usual place starboard of the ship's helm, and moved a bit close to speak in whisper to Kitty. "Ms. Petro, I'm sure I need not tell you that my retribution for this childish prank will be swift and unexpected," Amelia declared, her teeth clenched together. The helmsman snorted, trying very hard not to laugh, which prompted an already irate Amelia to spit him with one of her most formidable frosty looks. The helmsman instantly found he needed desperately to pay attention to his gauges for some reason.

Kitty only softly giggled. "Aw, come on, Captain, pink really is your color. You should wear it more often, you know," Kitty remarked matter-of-factly.

Amelia, the consummate Captain, merely ignored her statement...despite the most irrational urge to reach over and strangle this impetuous girl.

"Oh, incidentally, Captain," Kitty began just then.

"Yes, Ms. Petro?" Amelia managed to get out through her gritted teeth.

"Consider this as my payback for you trying you- know-what with you-know-whom. Just so you learn your lesson, I´ll turn back your hair to it´s normal color at the end of the week," Kitty finished, smiling in smug satisfaction.

Amelia took a deep breath, and concentrated on plotting a course to the Cross Nebula, so that she could restrain herself from doing something wery un-captain like just that moment. "You are far too kind, Ms. Petro. Just do keep in mind one thing though, my clever child..." Amelia began in a soft yet commanding voice.

"...and that would be?" Kitty replied saucily.

Amelia leaned over, her green eyes like emerald lasers, until her nose nearly touched Kitty's. "I am the Captain. Aboard this ship, I am in command, understood?"

Kitty scowled right back. "Understood. I promise I won't interfere in your running of the ship. But, that doesn't mean I'm going to stand by and let you plan my life for me either!"

"Very well. Agreed," Amelia then said.

"Agreed," Kitty then replied, and the two shook on the bargain.

"Whatever is the matter with you, Arrow?" Amelia then snapped at Arrow, who silently rumbled in restrained laughter. Amelia's expression became irate, though her eyes showed some hurt. "Just you hush, Arrow. I quite frankly expected better of you, old man," she told him, while reaching up a hand to run through her new pink locks.

"I do apologize, Captain. But, in all fairness, it´s only fair, you know," Arrow said steadfastly.

"What?" Amelia asked, appalled.

"Oh, I seem to remember a time when you attempted to play matchmaker before...between me and a certain woman named Suzanne? Ring any bells, Captain?" Arrow said, giving Amelia a knowing expression.

"Oh, that," Amelia said, smiling. "I'd nearly forgotten about that. Yes, I do remember her, she was a very cute girl. Remind me again, Arrow, exactly why didn't the two of you marry anyway?"

Arrow sighed. "Because Suzanne wanted me to give up being a spacer, Captain," Arrow said, crossing his arms before his broad chest. "As I recall, I never did repay that kindess, Captain. Perhaps, since you seem inclined to play matchmaker again, I should rethink my position, eh?"

Amelia was used to Arrow and her verbal sparing. "Oh, really? Like what, perhaps?" Amelia challenged.

"Oh, I don't know," Arrow began, looking over to catch Kitty's eye and give her a wink. "Perhaps, should the opportunity present itself, Kitty and I might try our hand at playing matchmaker with _you_, my fine Captain."

"I see. And, when---pray tell---will this opportunity arise, do you think?" Amelia replied unconvinced. "I am the Captain of this ship, and as such I do not see myself in any relationship anytime soon, Sylvester Arrow."

Arrow gave Amelia a knowing glance, then snorted. "Quite. I say I'll give you a few years, Captain, and we'll see," Arrow told her with a grin.

Amelia snorted, held her head high, and turned to begin her daily inspection of her beloved ship.

"Hey, Captain!" a voice called. Amelia turned around to see Kitty looking her way, standing beside the cabin boy, Alexander Dalley.

"Yes, Ms. Petro?" Amelia replied, her expression still a bit chilly toward Kitty, but she did smile in Alex's direction.

"Would it be all right if I help Alex here mop the deck this morning?" Kitty asked.

"Of course you may. Do carry on then," Amelia said.

"Thanks!" Kitty replied, winked at the dumbfounded Alex, and murmured something.

Amelia started as the deck---the entire deck, the entire length of the ship----suddenly began to glow. A moment later, the entire ship appeared just as spotless and pristine as it had the first time it had left spacedock. Kitty had not just made the deck look good. No, the entire hull was now polished and painted, as well as the masts and the bowsprit.

"There you go, buddy! Go do something fun this morning," Kitty declared, looking over at Amelia, grinning.

Alex beamed in pleasure. "Thanks, Kitty! You're the best!" Alex said, dashing off to have some fun. Amelia watched Alex head off past her before looking back over at Kitty with an arched pink eyebrow.

"We're friends...nothing more," Kitty said defensively.

"I see," Amelia said, though her voice had an undertone of mystery to it that made Kitty frankly nervous.

"Watch yourself, Captain," Kitty warned softly. "You really don´t want that tail now, do you?"

Amelia held up her hands in a warding gesture. "Very well, all right. No need to get tetchy. I am just giving you my opinion on this matter."

"Why am I not surprised?" Kitty replied sarcastically. Kitty then took out her CD player.

Amelia looked in curiosity at the small round device. "Exactly what is that thing?" Amelia asked.

Kitty looked up startled by Amelia's sense of confusion. "This? Oh, this is called a CD player," Kitty explained. It plays small disks with music imprinted upon it. I thought we could do with some entertaiment aboard ship. If you don't mind, that is, Captain?"

"Not at all. Be my guest," Amelia replied, carrying on with her inspection.

Kitty retrieved, then put on a disk into her player, and suddenly the whole ship had the song

'True Colors' by Phil Collins booming over it with Kitty singing along with the CD:

_You with the sad eyes_

_Don't be discouraged_

_Oh I realize_

_It's hard to take courage_

_In a world full of people_

_You can lose sight of it_

_And the darkness, inside you_

_Makes you feel so small_

_But I see your true colors_

_Shining through_

_I see your true colors_

_And that's why I love you_

_So don't be afraid to let them show_

_Just show your true colors_

_True colors are beautiful,_

_Like a rainbow_

_Show me a smile then,_

_Don't be unhappy, can't remember_

_When I last saw you laughing_

_If this world makes you crazy_

_And you've taken all you can bear_

_Just call me up_

_Because you know I'll be there_

_And I'll see your true colors_

_Shining through_

_I see your true colors_

_And that's why I love you_

_So don't be afraid to let them show_

_Just show your true colors_

_True colors are beautiful,_

_Like a rainbow_

_Such sad eyes_

_Take courage now_

_Realize_

_When this world makes you crazy_

_And you've taken all you can bear_

_Just call me up_

_Because you know I'll be there_

_And I'll see your true colors_

_Shining through_

_I see your true colors_

_And that's why I love you_

_So don't be afraid to let them show_

_Just show your true colors_

_True colors, true colors_

_Are shining through_

_I see your true colors_

_And that's why I love you_

_So don't be afraid; just let them show_

_Your true colors, true colors_

_True colors are beautiful,_

_Beautiful, like a rainbow_

Amelia was most pleasantly surprised as the song finished. "You've quite a good singing voice, Ms. Petro," she observed quite truthfully.

Kitty grinned. "Thanks, Captain," Kitty said. "I practice a lot."

"I really did like the lyrics of that song," Amelia continued, but with a mischievous grin.

Kitty sighed. "Amelia, if I hear one more word on that subject..." Kitty said holding up a finger.

Amelia's grin dimmed, but didn't disappear. "Very well. Touchy, touchy. I promise, I shall try to resist the temptation, Kitty," Amelia pledged.

Kitty snorted at that. "Yeah, right. You aren't going to hold to that promise anyway, right?"

"I'm sorry, but you are correct, I'm afraid," Amelia said, smiling.

"Right. Here's some friendly advice then, on that subject, Captain. The next time you open your mouth to comment, just you think about the pain of getting your new tail slammed in a door, okay?"

Amelia winced at that, glancing over her shoulder briefly in a way that clearly said a great deal.

Kitty smiled then, assured that Amelia now had her thoughts on a much different subject, and began singing a new song with music thrumming from behind herself:

_Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer_

_We're a notorious couple of cats_

_As knockabout clowns, quick-change comedians_

_Tight-rope walkers and acrobats_

_We have an extensive reputation_

_We make our home in Victoria Grove_

_This is merely our centre of operation_

_For we are incurably given to rove _

_We are very well known in Cornwall Gardens_

_In Launceston Place and in Kensington Square_

_We have really a little more reputation_

_Than a couple of cats can very well bear _

_If the area window is found ajar_

_And the basement looks like a field of war_

_If a tile or two comes loose on the roof_

_(Which presently fails to be waterproof)_

_If the drawers are pulled out from the bedroom chest_

_And you can't find one of your winter vests_

_If after supper one of the girls_

_Suddenly misses her Woolworth pearls_

_The family will say, "It's that horrible cat!_

_It was Mungojerrie or Rumpelteazer!"_

_And most of the time they leave it at that _

_Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer have a very unusual gift of the gab_

_We are highly efficient cat burglars as well_

_And remarkably smart at a smash and grab_

_We make our home in Victoria Grove_

_We have no regular occupation_

_We are plausible fellows who like to engage_

_A friendly policeman in conversation _

_When the family assembles for Sunday dinner_

_With their minds made up that they won't get thinner_

_On Argentine joint, potatoes and greens_

_And the cook will appear from behind the scenes_

_And say in a voice that is broken with sorrow,_

_"I'm afraid you must wait and have dinner tomorrow!_

_For the joint has gone from the oven like that!"_

_The family will say, "It's that horrible cat!_

_It was Mungojerrie or Rumpelteazer!"_

_And most of the time they leave it at that _

_Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer have a wonderful way of working together_

_And some of the time you would say it was luck_

_And some of the time you would say it was weather_

_We go through the house like a hurricane_

_And no sober person could take his oath_

_Was it Mungojerrie or Rumpelteazer?_

_Or could you have sworn that it mightn't be both? _

_And when you hear a dining room smash_

_Or up from the pantry there comes a loud crash_

_Or down from the library there comes a loud ping_

_From a vase that was commonly said to be Ming_

_The family will say: "Now which was which cat?_

_It was Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer!_

_And there's nothing at all to be done about that!_

Amelia sighed as she rounded the stern of the _Legacy _on her inspection tour. She thoguht back on her own tumultous teenage years. Had she not been a just out of her teenage years herself, she would of said that teens these days just didn't have any respect for anyone other than themselves. She paused to clear her thoughts then, and began climbing the mizzen shrouds, all the while ignoring the applause Kitty was getting from her crew as well as all the cadets upon her ship. As she ascended into the solitude of the mast, she checked, surprised to find that she was feeling perhaps just the smallest bit jealous of the attention this girl was now receiving...


	8. Authors note

Authors note:

Queen Sarabi asked in a review what tthe matter whit Kitty was so i thought i´d give you a little innside info. I made Kitty as a mix between myself and Amelia. Kitty has my personality: Tomboy, a carefree attitude and a thrustworthy character. But from Amelia she has the stubbornness (at least some of it) and some more. Now Alex for Kitty is about the same as Delbert for Amelia. She thinks he´s really cute from the first time she sees him but can´t see each other in a relationship exept as friends. So even if Kitty loves him deep innside it´s just to hard for her to accept it herself. Don´t worry though I´ll make Kitty get some sence later in the story.

PS: Thank you all for the great reviews it makes being an author so much more fun.

The warmest regards

Captein Amelia


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

Later on in the day, Kitty---now that she'd made herself most likely the most popular girl aboard ship---found Amelia standing up in the crow's nest, staring off into the Etherium.

"Hey there, Amelia," Kitty said, greeting the strangely silent felinid Captain.

"Oh...hello there, Kitty," Amelia replied, smiling a bit wanly, still looking out into the vastness of the Etherium.

Kitty frowned, seeing that something was bothering Amelia...but just what? "Anything wrong, Captain?" she asked kindly.

Amelia finally turned her proud head, and gave Kitty the benefit of a small smile. "Oh, nothing of any importance, dear," she replied, attempting to be reassuring.

Now it was Kitty who lifted an eyebrow at Amelia. "Yeah, right," Kitty declared, utterly unconvinced.

Amelia's lips quirked in a sad sort of smile. "Very well. I never was a very convincing liar, I suppose," she told Kitty, sighing. "I was pondering something was all..."

"Oh? Like what, for instance?" Kitty asked.

"Hmm, how do I phrase this precisely?" Amelia stated, then took a deep breath. "Is it just me...or do you find it rather odd that I---who have the most authority aboard this ship---go about practically unnoticed, while you, my dear girl, who have practically no authority at all, can hardly move about this infernal tub without a crowd following about in your wake?"

"Huh?" Kitty questioned at first, prepared to utter a protest, but ended up by blushing and looking over at Amelia as she suddenly realised just what was going on. "You mean, that you're jealous? Of me?" she asked in utter disbelief.

"Do come now, Kitty," Amelia reasoned quietly. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed what's been going on aboard ship." She sighed again, and turned away, closing her eyes wearily.

"Oops," Kitty said apologetically and smiled. "It wasn't like I meant to do this, you know. But, tell you what...I can help you out, if you like."

Amelia looked up, once again arching her pink eyebrow...the left one this time. "Really? Do tell, Kitty," she prompted the girl, her expression a mix of a willingness to listen with a dose of healthy skepticism.

Kitty nervously ran a hand through her short blond hair. "Well, okay, I´ll try," Kitty said a bit nervously. "But, realize that my help comes with a price."

"Prudent. So, what might this price be then?" Amelia asked, curious yet a bit suspicious as well.

As to her answer, Kitty simply looked down to where Alexander stood talking with the simian spacer, and then arched her eyebrows meaningfully at Amelia. Amelia then groaned softly, frowning. But, she decided soon enough. "Very well. You drive a hard bargain, Ms. Petro. Henceforth, I vow to cease any more matchmaking between you and Mr. Dalley. Satisfied?"

Kitty smiled, and nodded. "Great. Okay, then...I'll give you that advice now."

"Wonderful," Amelia replied a bit acerbically. "Do go on, I'm listening," Amelia added.

"Here goes... You need to try relax a little bit, Amelia. If all everyone sees you as is some stern Captain with no emotions or personality, then the only attention you´ll likely get will be that of fear and respect for your authority. Now, I don't know about you, mind, but I myself would like a bit more than that myself..."

Amelia smiled back at her, thinking over what she had just said. "I see. You do make a good point, Kitty. I shall give your counsel consideration, I think," she said.

Kitty smiled, took her leave of the hard thinking Captain, and headed down to the deck to see Arrow. "Mr. Arrow, might I have a few moments of your time?" Kitty asked.

"Yes, I believe I may spare you a few minutes, Ms. Petro," Arrow said. "What have you on your mind, Miss?"

"Remember how you said you wanted to play matchmaker between Amelia and her future husband?" Kitty pointed out to Arrow.

"Why, yes. Yes, I do indeed. What brings this up, Kitty? Have you found a suitable fellow for the Captain?" Arrow said, grinning.

Kitty snickered, then shook her head. "Well, sort of I have...maybe. Remember back when I told you about that movie of mine...the one where you and Amelia appear in it?"

Arrow simply nodded his head.

Kitty smiled at that. "Okay then, well, I thought you might want to see one particular picture from it," Kitty explained, giving Arrow a picture of Delbert and Amelia's future children, who were all adorable. Arrow blinked several times, his mouth working though he spoke no words at first.

"A Canid? The Captain...with a canid fellow?" Arrow asked in disbelief. "Are you quite certain?"

"Yep! And he's not just a canid, Arrow. He's a Doctor of Astrophysics, very wealthy, and rather cute too...though, in a bookish sort of way" Kitty went to say. Arrow was suitably impressed.

"Hmm. Most suitable indeed, Kitty. Intelligent, well to do, as well as being a bit shy and charming," Arrow mused aloud, nodding his head once. "Do go on..."

Kitty grinned in spite of herself. "Yeah, he's a keeper...though, I will admit that he does have the tendency to bather on sometimes, but I'm sure that a few weeks with Amelia would cure that problem in no time at all."

Arrow chuckled at Kitty's saying that. "You really are a rather unique young woman, Ms. Kitty Petro," he said to Kitty in an amused affectionate voice.

Kitty promptly blushed and smiled a warm smile. "Well...I do try," Kitty commented cleverly.

Arrow grinned, thinking. "So, Kitty...just when is our intrepid Captain and the good Doctor supposed to make their acquaintance with one another?" Arrow asked, intrigued.

Kitty narrowed her eyes a moment, thinking. "Well, near as I can remember, Amelia's going to be around thirty years old when she meets Doctor Doppler," Kitty proclaimed. "It's been great talking with you, Arrow. But, I got things I've got to do...so if you'll excuse me then..."

"Of course," answered a still bemused Arrow. "Be on your way, Miss. Oh...and thank you for telling me all this."

"No problem, Arrow. See ya!" Kitty returned, and then headed into the chambers she shared with Amelia. Once there, she took a seat and began drawing pictures of tigers, lions, panthers, snow lepoards...yes, nearly every big cat she'd ever heard of. Time flew past as she drew, and with a start, she saw just what time it had become already...nearly ten o'clock! She decided---then and there---it was time to turn in and get some sleep.

As she laid herself down, she thought about Amelia. Was she really jealous of her? That came as quite the shock to Kitty, who had never thought _anyone_ would ever be jealous of _her_. Well, she thought as she yawned and closed her eyes, that only goes to prove that there are surprises to found nearly everywhere...


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

At the end of her shift on the bridge, Amelia made her way inside to her quarters to get some well-deserved rest. There, she saw Kitty already lying in her bed with a grip around her plush toy cat. Amelia stopped simply to gaze at the girl, smiling down upon Kitty, her friend. Amelia found she had become very fond of this new friend of hers. Kitty reminded her a great deal of her deceased sister, Victoria. She smiled at that observation, realizign that the only difference between the two was that Tory wouldn't of threatened to give her a tail if Amelia annoyed her.

Amelia sighed then, and stretched her weary muscles. She then undressed and laid herself down, weary at the end of the day. As she snuggled in, she thought happily of Kitty as some younger sister of hers, and didn't want anything to happen to her. She promised herself that she and Arrow would look after her just as long as they both lived. Amelia smiled as Kitty turned over in her sleep, putting a hand around Amelia's slim waist. Amelia, as she fell asleep, returned the favor, putting one her her arms around Kitty´s waist. The two felinid then slept just like that until the next morning.

That day Kitty gave Amelia a few more tips on how to become more popular with her crew. She taught her how to sing and dance---a little--- and soon Kitty and Amelia were going to show everyone that Amelia could prove to be a teen herself. Amelia traversed her way up to her usual place on the bridge, while Kitty headed down on deck. There Kitty boomed out, "So...does anyone want to hear another song?"

Cadet and crewman alike cheered boisteriously at the idea.

"I thought so," Kitty laughed and started singing, while dancing in a very teenage girlish sort of way (i.e., with hip movements and a slight shaking of her behind):

_Macavity's a mystery cat, he's called the hidden paw _

_For he's a master criminal who can defy the law _

_He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair _

_For when they reach the scene of crime Macavity's not there! _

_Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity _

_He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity _

_His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare _

_And when you reach the scene of crime Macavity's not there! _

_You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air _

_But I tell you once and once again Macavity's not there! _

_Then everybody got a shock as Amelia started walking down the stairs and started singing her to while dancing precicely as Kitty just that she sung solo:_

_Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin _

_You would know him if you saw him for his eyes are sunken in _

_His brow is deeply lined in thought, his head is highly domed _

_His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed _

_He sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake _

_And when you think he's half asleep, he's always wide awake _

_Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity _

_He's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity _

_You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square _

_But when a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!_

At this point, Kitty sang and danced, inviting Amelia to join in, both she and Amelia each taking one line in turn:

Kitty: _He's outwardly respectable_,

Amelia: _I know he cheats at cards_

Kitty: _And his footprints are not found in any files of Scotland Yard's _

Amelia: _And when the larder's looted_

Kitty: _Or the jewel case is rifled_

Amelia: _Or when the milk is missing_

Kitty: _Or another peke's been stifled _

Amelia: _Or the greenhouse glass is broken_

Kitty: _And the trellis past repair_

Together: _There's the wonder of the thing Macavity's not there! _

_Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity _

_There never was a cat of such deceitfulness and suavity _

_He always has an alibi and one or two to spare _

_What ever time the deed took place Macavity wasn't there!_

_And they say that all the cats whose wicked deeds are widely known _

_Kitty: I might mention Mungojerrie, _

_Amelia: I might mention Griddlebone _

_Are nothing more than agents for the cat who all the time _

_Just controls the operations: the Napoleon of crime! _

All spacers aboard---by now at least---knew what was coming next---having heard this particular song numerous times---and gladly sang together with the felinid duo the last few lines:

_Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity _

_He's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity _

_You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square _

_But when a crime's discovered then Macavity _

_Macavity, Macavity, Macavity _

_When a crime's discovered then Macavity's not there!_

All aboard cheered at the singing and capering duo.

"Great job, Captain!" a ursinid spacer called out, whistling his approval.

Alexander clapped enthusiastically "I knew you had it in you!" Alexander continued.

"Awesome work, Cap'n!" the elephantine helmsman said, clapping.

"I told you so," Kitty said smugly to Amelia, who just laughed along with everybody else.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 

The following morning, Amelia woke up to the sound of music within her chambers. Opening her eyes, she saw that Kitty was gone, and so she guessed that the girl was undoubtedly up and dancing for her crew. Amelia got up out of bed, washed her face, waking up a bit before heading out to take command of her ship once more.

"Well well, are my eyes deceiving me or isn't it our own little Miss Belly Dancer," Arrow announced quietly with amusement once he saw Amelia arrive to take up her usual station.

Amelia only smiled indulgently at first. She then smirked, adding, "Keep up that mockery, Arrow, and I´ll be sure to mention to our friend Kitty that you'd like to take a walk about the deck in your underwear."

Arrow chuckled, conceding the point to his Captain. "Understood, Ma'am," Arrow replied, shaking his head. He looked down to the main deck.

Amelia did followed his gaze there too, and frowned. "Just what in blazes is that girl up to now?" Amelia questioned, her brow furrowed in curiosity and irritation.

Kitty stood upon the deck, between the bridge and the main mast, in front of some sort of strange box, and was currently hopping about on some plastic mat emblazoned with colorful circles with white arrows. Kitty's friend, the cabin boy, Alexander Dalley, stood beside her and trying his best to emulate her performance, much to the entertainment of the crew and cadets in attendance.

Amelia excused herself from the bridge, and headed sedately down to the main deck and over to where the two youngsters were doing what she took to be some sort of odd dance routine. "Exactly what are those two doing, man?" she asked primly of a ursinid spacer enjoying the show.

The spacer tugged his forelock in respect to Amelia and answered a bit hestitantly. "Well, Cap'n...Miss Kitty told us about some game o' hers called the Jungle Book Groove Party. An' that's when she showed us all the game, ma'am. There weren't many takers at first, mind you...but it was standin' room only when she told us all that if one o' us could beat her in the game she'd share a french kiss wit' us."

Amelia frowned at that provocative wager, disapproving of Kitty's outrageous (in her mind at least) wager.

Before she could speak though, the ursinid continued. "Of course, Cap'n, ain't ben not a man jack o' us that's managed to win yet. The lass is way too good at this for the likes o' us, so she is, ma'am."

Amelia moved forward to examine the box construct where some sort of screen portrayed animated characters dancing madly away with arrows appearing and disappearing at the side of each animated dancer. "Interesting," Amelia ventured, more to herself than anything. "I say, good man, how exactly does one play this game?" she asked aloud.

"It ain't hard, Cap'n," Horus the lookout explained. "Them arrows match up wit' those circles on the mat, see?" Horus pointed out his discovery, continuing the explaination for the ursinid spacer named Kenai. "Whens the arrows appears inside the circle, you steps on the matchin' arrow on the plastic mat," he said and pointed to the dancemat.

"I see," Amelia remarked, looking at the game then down at the mat again. "And, might I inquire just who that panther fellow might be?" She pointed to the animated figure on the left of the screen.

"Why, that's Kitty, ma'am," the simian spacer named Peter supplied helpfully. "She always insists on being that panther."

"Ah, yes. So...then this must be Mr. Dalley then, yes? The elephant?" Amelia asked, pointing to the screen before her.

"Yes! You catch on, Captain," Peter said again.

It was then that the game finished. A voice from the game then proclaimed. "Baghera is the winner."

Kitty grinned winningly at Alexander. "Sorry, buddy, but you lost," Kitty declared.

Alexander smiled, but was all sweaty. "Well, I'd be the first to admit that I´m not much of a dancer, Kitty," he told her.

"Excuse me, you two," Amelia announced then, and looked over to Kitty.

"Oh hi, Captain," Kitty replied, seeing Amelia for the first time. "Good morning."

"Good morning to you as well, Kitty," Amelia said. She then looked upon the device with an obvious interest. "I was..."

"Want to give it a try, Captain?" Kitty asked suddenly.

"Well, as a matter of fact, yes. Yes, I would indeed," Amelia said.

"Great!" Kitty exclaimed, her face pink from her exertions. Then her expression became a bit crafty. "What do yo say to making a wager on the outcome of our match?" Kitty asked.

"Hmm, a wager, you say. Very well, I´m listening," Amelia prompted.

"Okay, here goes. If you beat me," Kitty began, looking over at Amelia. "Then I´ll French kiss Alexander...since I know just how much you want me to."

Amelia arced both of her pink eyebrows up in obvious surprise, but before she could say a thing, Kitty added, "And I´ll change back your hair to its normal color...even though there's still technically five days left in the week."

"Most generous of you, my friend," Amelia answered, interested. "And, should you win?" Amelia asked suspisious.

"Well..." Kitty continued, but smiled this time. "I've always wondered how you would look with a tail, Captain..." The crew looked over at Amelia with a hush of expectation.

Amelia thought on this wager, hard and long. Now, if she did actually win (and she was fairly nimble and in shape) she´d would dearly enjoy the moment of seeing Kitty´s mouth meeting Alexander's in that kiss. But, on the other hand, if she lost the contest... She thought a moment longer, and shook her head in negation. "I'm sorry, Kitty, but perhaps another time. I'm rather partial to my uniforms just the way they are right now, thank you." She turned on her heel to go, when see heard Kitty cough. That cough of hers was odd, and Amelia's sensitive ears thought she detected the word 'chicken' within that seemingly innocent cough.

"Chicken, am I? I think not. Prepare to taste defeat, Miss Petro," Amelia declared, taking off her gloves, unfastened her uniform jacket, drew it off, and gave both of them over to the simian spacer, Peter. "But, before we begin, a moment, if you please. Arrow!" she yelled and Arrow made his way down to the two contestants. "Ah, there you are, old man. Just wanted you to be here," she said. Then she turned to Kitty, and held out an expectant hand. "My condition on this contest is that you may not use any of your 'magic' to influence the outcome. So, your ring, if you please," she said.

Kitty smiled, nodded her head, and pulled off her ring and gave it over to Amelia. "Don´t lose that, Amelia...because if you do, it´s pink hair forever," she cautioned.

"Quite," Amelia replied, and gave over the ring intto Arrow's care, who then put it into his trouser pocket.

"All right, Amelia...who do you want to be in the game?" Kitty asked, letting Amelia look over the figures she could choose from. "I believe I shall choose this fellow, Baloo the bear," she said.

"Nice," Kitty complimented Amelia on her choice. "Baloo is a great dancer...even in the movie. Now, I'm Baghera---of course---and just let me pick us a song." And with a clever little smile on her lips, Kitty found them the song, and soon both of them began dancing to the song:

Well my home is in the jungle,

And although I am quite humble,

I am not just another pussycat.

When I roar the ground rumbles,

and the feeble-hearted crumble,

As I´m a well-respected jungle-savvy cat.

But just look at you, Mowgli,

Truly anyone can see,

that you possess neither speed nor the size.

This is no joke, my friend,

Yes, you´ll see in the end,

that you shoud listen to the words of the wise.

You may think we´re the same

you may think it´s all a game,

you may think it´s all fun and joy,

It may not be to your taste,

but you´re gonna have to face,

that the jungle is no place for a boy.

The song ended then, and the game declared, "Round One over."

Kitty, breathing a bit heavier, said, "So...like the song, Captain?"

"Why is it that I have the feeling that I shoud be hurt, hmm?" Amelia said, grinning.

Kitty laughed, then added, "Well then, time to start Round Two." The song then continued, as the two dancers began to move once more:

Well there´s trouble in the jungle,

and sometimes everybody fumbles,

but when I fall, I don´t get carried away.

Because some you win, and some you lose,

but as long as you follow your muse,

you´ll be singing at the end of the day.

But the jungle's full of danger,

No, it´s no place for a stranger,

there are snakes and tigers dying for a snack.

And you may think you have reach your goal,

you may think your in control,

when you´re suddenly knocked down by an attack.

You may think we´re the same,

you may think it´s all a game,

you may think it´s all fun and joy,

It may not be to your taste,

but you´re gonna have to face,

that the jungle is no place for a boy.

"Round Two Over," the game then announced.

Amelia was now breathing a bit deep. But, then again, so was Kitty for that matter. "Want to give up, Captain?" she asked mischievioulsy.

"And receive that beastly tail?" Amelia declared with a wave of her hand. "I don´t think so, my dear."

"Well then...on with the last round, huh? All right!" Kitty said. "Okay, the Final round starts...now!" she announced and the screen started playing the last round for the game:

Well there´s things I do belive in,

And there are things I don´t believe in,

And the line is sometimes fine between right and wrong.

And you have to understand,

if I have to take a stand,

It´s not because I´m weak, it´s because I´m strong.

And sometimes my heart is broken,

And the truth remains unspoken,

And it might seem to me,

like an unfair fight.

But I´ll never turn away,

Yes, I am quite proud to say,

That I´m a cat that will roar for what is right.

You may think we´re the same,

you may think it´s all a game,

you may think it´s all fun and joy.

It may not be to your taste,

but you´re gonna have to face,

that the jungle is no place for a boy...

"Game over," the game announced. "The winner is Baghera."

Kitty smiled triumphantly. "Nice try," she said magnanimously to Amelia, while breathing like she had just finished running a marathon.

Amelia was breathing hard as well.  
"I say...that is certainly quite some game,"  
she observed, while sit back against the main mast.

Kitty retrieved her ring from Arrow, and suddenly two bottles of chilled water appeared from seemingly out from nowhere. She handed one of them over to Amelia, who drank deeply. "So, you want that tail now?" she asked mischieviouly.

"Given the choice, no. But it's not like I have much of one in this instance now, do I?" Amelia said and nodded in grim acceptance of her fate. "Just get the process over with as fast as possible please." Amelia then gasped in audible surprise and discomfort as the back of her pants opened in a small hole to allow a meter long tail to emerge. The tail itself was the same color as her skin, but just on the end of it, the tail had a little pink tuft. "Pink?" Amelia questioned, raising an eloquent eyebrow at Kitty.

"Don't worrry...I´ll turn that back into your usual auburn when your five final days are up," Kitty said and helped Amelia up to her feet again. Peter gave Amelia back her coat and gloves, and Amelia smiled at Kitty.

Kitty smiled and then challenged the rest of the crew, "Any one else want to try me a match? I can manage one more time before I put this away..."


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 

The next few days were ones of calm atmosphere. Kitty decided to take a few days rest from her usual hobbies and started going down to the galley to talk with Alex now and again.

Amelia, on the other hand, had more than enough problems thank you---what with learning how to not get her new tail slammed in doors and the like. But, after a period of transition, she managed to figure out how control her tail, so that it was nearly like having a third hand. She found it could prove actually quite handy at times, like when she was brandishing a sword in one hand, a laser flintlock in the other, she still could manage to use her tail to hang on to the shrouds.

The next day Kitty was woken up by Arrow, who ordered her, "Come along, Kitty. You simply must see something."

Kitty opened her eyes blearily, and saw Arrow smiling down at her. She yawned, stretched, and then got dressed with the help of a little mumbling---and magic---before heading out on deck after Arrow. She stopped dead in her tracks. The etherium was quite the sight this night. A reverberating rumble was heard, followed by streaking bolts of ethereal lightning that flashed over the ship. Kitty gulped just then, not being a particular fan of storms of any kind, and looked toward the bridge where Amelia usually could be found...only, she wasn't there. "Where is Amelia, Arrow?" she asked.

In reply, Arrow simply pointed up toward the crow's nest, up where Amelia could see everything perfectly.

"Is she mad? What's she doing up there in this storm?" Kitty asked in concern. You see, it wasn't only Amelia who had developed an affection for Kitty it seemed...

"Now now, calm yourself, Kitty. It´s not dangerous," Arrow explained, laying one giant hand comfortingly on Kitty's slender shoulder. "The Captain's always loved watching the etherium durring lightstorms."

"Lightstorms?" Kitty asked, though in a certain sense the word did seem appropriate. To herself, this looked like a thunderstorm... and she was plain terrified of such storms.

"Yes, Kitty. You see those flashes of light over there?" Arrow pointed.

Kitty nodded. "How could I not?" Kitty answered back, nervous.

"Well, you see, there are regions of the etherium---usually around blue-white stars---that experience extended bouts of excessive heat. When this occurs, it is not unusual for lightstorms, such as this one, to happen. I do apologize as the science of this isn't very easy to explain to a neophyte such as yourself."

"Not to worry, Arrow," Kitty assured him, though her eyes were getting a little bit wild now. "Now, I'm going inside...and staying there. Call me when the lightstorm's gone."

Arrow was surprised. "You mean, you don´t want to watch? The phenomena can be very appealing, Kitty," Arrow asked puzzled. Kitty shook her head emphatically, wincing as another rumble of thunder was heard in the distance.

Arrow was a seasoned spacer, as well as a good judge of people, and could read Kitty's body language. "You don´t enjoy this sort of weather, do you, my dear?"

Kitty shook her head, ducked inside, and closed the door quickly before heading deep into Amelia's quarters and laid down in bed, pulling the quilt up over her head, praying that the lightning blazing away out there wouldn't hit her. It was several agonizing minutes later that she heard the door to the cabin open.

"Kitty? Arrow informs me you are not feeling well. Are you all right?" Amelias voice said.

"Weren't you outside watching the weather?" Kitty asked a bit tritely.

"I was indeed," Amelia answered truthfully...as was her wont. "But then Arrow stopped by to tell me that you were in a dither about the lightstorm, so I stopped by to provide you some company, and some support. I suppose Arrow thought me the best person for the job...well, next to Mr. Dalley, of course." Amelia's smile was clever and suggestive.

If anything could get Kitty's mind off her fear of the storm, it would be _that_ particular subject. "Amelia...hasn't your tail taught you anything?" Kitty asked scathingly.

Amelia pretended to muse that question over. "Hmm. No, not really, I suppose," Amelia answered. She then turned the conversation back to the matter at hand, which was brought back into focus sharply when a particularly loud crack of thunder detonated outside and reverberated through the Legacy's stout timbers. "Ah, I see you're afraid of lightstorms, correct?"

Kitty could only nod miserably, wincing again as yet another rumble was heard, angry because she was trembling beneath the quilt.

Amelia turned a compassionate eye on her young protégé. "Might I inquire as to when you began this loathing of turbulent weather?" Amelia asked, sitting down beside Kitty on the bed.

"Well, I suppose it reminds me of thunder. And, I just hate thunder," Kitty told her.

Amelia smiled, nodding sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Kitty, but thunder only happens in planetary atmosphere's."

"Maybe so, but I still don't like it," Kitty said and sniffed, visibly upset. "You see, my father once told me about a man that died because he was hit by ligthning. Now, I'm pretty sure he only did it so I wouldn't escape during a thunderstorm, but there you have it. I've been terrified of thunder ever since that time."

"There, there, Kitty. Thunder is only sound, and the Legacy will protect you from any rogue lightning that might be about," Amelia told her with a smile, and hugged Kitty to herself to comfort the trembling girl.

"I've something you most likely will be most pleased to hear. Would you like me to tell you?" Amelia asked a moment later, gently rocking Kitty in her arms.

Kitty nodded her head, and then looked up from Amelia's chest. "Lightning from lightstorms have never, ever---not even once---actually hit a lightship before. It is completely safe, you haven't a need to fear on that account, my dear girl."

"Really?" Kitty asked, wiping a tear from her cheek, as she sat up in the bed.

"Oh, yes, really," Amelia assured the girl. "You may ask Arrow if you need further reassurance, Kitty. So would you consider coming out on deck and view the storm with me?"

Kitty smiled at Amelia, and nodded her head. "Yeah, I will...but I´m not going up in the crow's nest in it," she said.

Amelia hugged the girl again, then released her, smiling. "Agreed, no crow's nest," Amelia answered.

Kitty smiled and said, "Well, I suppose that now all I have to be afraid of is pirates and supernovas."

"Supernova?" Amelia asked. "How did you come to know about those, Kitty? Were you studying astrophysics on your own home world?"

"No," Kitty answered, grinning. "It's just that in that movie I'm always telling you about, the Legacy gets caught in the blast of a new supernova."

Amelia's eyebrows leapt up, and her mouth opened slightly.

Kitty didn't seem to notice this though, and continued along. "Well...that was before it exploded and transformed into a black hole, I guess..."

Amelia was getting a bit wild-eyed by now, and Kitty finally noticed this.

"Whoops! Sorry bout that. Can´t really say any more," she said apologetically, as Amelia again opened her mouth to ask more. Kitty threw up a cautionary hand. "Hey, look, Amelia...the story goes as it goes, and I´m not changing everything about to let you get prepared for it, okay? It would ruin the whole ending of the story, trust me."

Kitty turned to go, but before she could take more than a single step, Amelia's new tail went once about her leg and then lifted her upside down off the ground to hang before the now commanding felinid Captain.

"Fine then. Be that way. But, do remember that tomorrow, I shall of sported this ridiculous pink hair one week, my dear Kitty. And, that being the case, I do expect to get my usual auburn colored hair back."

"Not to worry, Amelia," Kitty assured her. "Now, if you would, could you please put me down again? All my blood seems to be going to my head."

Amelia smiled, nodded, and then put Kitty down before heading out and opening the door after herself with the tail around the handle. "Do come along, Kitty," Amelia said. "Don't dawdle."

"And, to think...she actually complained about getting that tail," Kitty grumbled good-naturedly before heading after her...


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 

Next morning, Kitty found herself being awoken by Amelia, who was physically shaking her awake.

"Do wake up, Kitty," the Captain asked. Amelia was determined to rid herself of her pink hair as soon as possible.

"Amelia...if I turn your hair back to normal will you please stop trying to wake me up?" Kitty asked around a substantial yawn.

"Yes. Yes, I shall," Amelia replied and playfully sat down on top of Kitty, grinning.

Kitty looked up into her eyes blearily, and yawned extensively again. "All right, give me a second," she said and then murmured something unintelligible to Amelia.

Amelia quirked an eyebrow, then drew her tail about to look at the tuft there, and smiled ecstatically when she saw that it now was auburn again. "Superb! Top-notch," Amelia murmured and got to her feet...much to Kitty's relief. Amelia was a slight woman, but she was´nt a bag of feathers either...

Amelia strolled over to look into a mirror. Much to her approval, her nearly shoulder length hair was back to its normal reddish-brown color. "Ah, thank you, Kitty. Much better," she declared, running a hand through her hair before she headed back out on deck. As she was departing, she heard a sleepy "You're welcome" come from the young felinid she shared her cabin with, who was already half-way back into dreamland again.

Amelia shook her head, doffed her tri-corner hat, and shut the door to her cabin. Once back upon the bridge, she found Arrow standing in his usual place. "Ah ha, back to auburn again, I see," he observed with a smile.

Amelia removed her hat, and subconsciously ran a slender hand through her reddish locks happily. Replacing her hat upon her head, she remarked, "Well, old man, it has been a week, you know."

"Yes, now that you mention it, I suppose it has been at that," Arrow teased and smiled.

Both Arrow and Amelia turned to look back when the door to Amelia's stateroom opened and Kitty stumbled out, bleary-eyed and still yawning. She made her way over to where Amelia and Arrow stood, and said, after a huge yawn, "Good morning, everyone."

"Ah, good morning, dear. Up already? Arrow, has there been another lightstorm recently? I can scarcely believe my eyes," Amelia announced playfully.

Kitty grinned, glad to see Amelia happy again. "Hee hee, Amelia. Hey, what can I say? I couldn't sleep," Kitty said, shrugging. She then smiled at Amelia before taking her leave, and heading down to where Alex stood, and engaged him in some animated conversation.

"Ha! And that girl has the nerve to tell me that she´s not in love with that boy," Amelia observed with a pretend sniff of righteousness, though she could also not hide her smile.

"Ah ah, Captain. Watch yourself. You know how touchy Miss Petro is about that particular subject," Arrow advised. "You do remember your pink hair, don't you, my friend?"

"Well, yes. Of course I do," Amelia remarked brazenly. "But don't you understand how it frustrates me when that girl is so stubborn about this that she cannot see she loves him herself."

"Come now, relax, Captain," Arrow soothed. "As I believe I told you nearly a week ago, we simply must give her some time is all..."

Amelia snorted at that, still frustrated. "I see. Not to change the subject, old man...but are you two are still plotting some match-making of your own for me?"

Arrow nodded affirmatively. "Most definitively, Captain," Arrow replied. "In fact, more enthusiastically than ever, since our Ms. Petro has provided me with some definitive proof of her claims." Arrow immediately knew he has probably said too much to the inquisitive Captain.

Amelia's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. "Eh, what's this? What proof are you speaking of, Arrow? Out with it, man!"

"I regret that I may only tell you so much, my friend...Kitty swore me to silence on the details of the matter," Arrow told her. "But, I am able to inform you that you are to meet your soulmate on that fated voyage that occurs in that 'movie' Kitty is always telling of."

"So...the little scamp has proof, eh?" Amelia mused aloud, arching an auburn eyebrow. "Now, that's something I´d rather like to see myself."

Amelia cast an inquiring look Arrow's way.

"Now, Amelia, you know I can´t do that," Arrow informed her steadfastly. "Beside reneging on my word to Kitty, telling you would only ruin the whole surprise you've got in store for you. However, I may provide you a hint now and again when I deem it appropriate."

"I see, well...I shall not ask you to break your word, old boy. Much as my sense of curiosity might like me to," Amelia replied, clasping her hands behind her back, a mild look of frustration in her green eyes.

"Thank you, Captain. I am rather glad to hear that," Arrow said with some relief. Amelia could be rather persistent when she put her mind to it. Their conversation was interrupted when they both looked down to the main deck, where peals of laughter were erupting.

Amelia frowned, seeing her cabin boy, Alexander Dalley, now sporting a blindfold about his eyes while holding something before himself, and moving tentatively towards a picture of a donkey that someone had tacked to the main mast. Amelia rolled her eyes and sighed. "What's that girl up to now?" Amelia groused, nodding to Arrow, who followed her down towards the growing crowd on deck. She and Arrow threaded their way through the crowd of spacers and cadets to find an most amused Kitty and a blindfolded Alex at play.

"Oh, hey, Captain," Kitty greeted her.

"Hmm. Good morning, Kitty," Amelia said, her tone inviting some further response. "Just what are you up to this time around?"

"Oh, this? Well, I´m teaching everyone a game called 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey'," Kitty explained patiently. By now, Alex had finally reached the picture on the mast, and guessing just where he thought the behind of the donkey might be, he attempted to tack on the tail to the picture. While his placement wasn't picture perfect, nor even anatomically possible, Kitty grinned with approval. "Way to go, buddy! That's a new record, Alex," Kitty informed her friend. Alex grinned and pulled off his blindfold, looking at just how he'd done.

"Could you kindly explain this game to me?" Amelia asked.

"Sure!" Kitty said. "Well, first off, I blindfold you, then spin you around a few times to disorient you. Then, I turn you about in the general direction of the portrait there on the mast, and let you go. It's your job to tack that tail---best as you can---to the donkey's behind."

"I see," Amelia replied, not seeing the purpose to this game at all. "And you are teaching my crew and the cadets this...why?" Amelia asked, looking into Kitty's eyes.

Kitty shrugged. "Well, I guess I was just in the mood," Kitty said and looked down to where Amelia's tail was twitching impatiently.

The gathered spacers grinned, much to Amelia's disapproval. "Drolly amusing, dear. Though I wouldn't give up your career as a spacer just yet, were I you," Amelia responded a bit sarcastically. The Captain then turned to the rest of her gathered crew. "Might I remind you all that we will be returning to port in precisely two weeks time. Were I you, I would strive to behave a more mature and responsible, should you care to achieve passing scores."

The cadets paled, understanding her implied threat immediately, and began moving away to get back to work. "Yes, Ma'am!" the cadets replied, scampering away back to their duties aboard ship. Satisfied that her authority was still intact, Amelia turned back to look at Kitty briefly, who still was smiling, and returned to her post on the bridge with Arrow in tow.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 

The next two weeks disappeared in a blur for Kitty, who spent half her time talking with Alex, and the other half training with Amelia, who proceeded to lecture her about how to behave in front of a crew of spacers in order to prevent a mutiny from occuring. Amelia felt---and perhaps rightly so---that Kitty, being untrained in the actions of command, might prove easy prey to potential mutineers.

Kitty just smiled at her concern before heading off to Amelia's bed, lifting it with her little finger to place it just the way she liked it. Well, needless to say, after that particular demonstration, Amelia turned her instruction toward telling Kitty that she should not---in any circumstances---show off her magical powers in front of a serious group of spacers. Kitty rolled her eyes at Amelia's case of overcaution and proceeded to tell her that even if she might appear a little childish on occasion, that didn't mean that she didn't know how to behave. Her entire life with her family had taught her that lesson...the hard way.

Amelia sighed in exasperation, but decided discretion the better part of valor, and simply gave up trying, knowing that Kitty was far too stubborn for her own good.

The next day was the last day before they returned to starport and ended their journey. Kitty used this day to move about the Legacy, hugging all the friends she'd met a tearful good-bye. The cadets---heck, even the most hardened of spacers were all more than a little bit fond of this girl who had literally fallen in upon them. Many a seasoned spacer found some speck of ethereal flotsam lodge in their eyes...or at least that's what they told Kitty as they wiped at them, that is...

But the most difficult good-bye by far for Kitty was saying farewell to her best friend, Alex. Kitty hugged him fiercely, tears leaking from her eyes, not wanting to let him go.

Alex, for his part, was somehow dry-eyed, but he held on to Kitty tightly too, showing no signs of letting her go either.

"Much as I figured," a voice speculated from behind the two startled teens, and they turned to see Captain Amelia walking gracefully toward them.

Kitty scowled. "Watch it, Amelia," Kitty growled, her cheeks becoming pink as she let go of Alex. "I mean, don´t you tell me that you wouldn't cry if you were leaving behind a good friend...one that you won´t be seeing in a long time." Kitty felt a lump in her throat, even as she continued to scowl at Amelia.

Amelia held up a hand. "Oh, I won´t, dear," Amelia assured Kitty. "In fact, I've a bit of a present for the both of you..." The Captain retrieved a slip of paper from her trouser pocket, and handed to a startled Alex. "Ah, here you are, Mr. Dalley. Upon that slip of paper you would find my address at Instellar Star Port, as well as my wireless number...you know, should you find the urge to talk to Kitty."

Alex was dumbfounded, saying nothing at first, just looking at the paper in his fingers. He eventually found his voice, and croaked, "Thank you, Captain."

Amelia smiled, and waved a hand his way. "Think nothing of it, my boy. Now, should Kitty and myself be out on some misson of some sort, you simply just leave a note with the portmaster. Understood?" Amelia finished.

Alex pocketed the paper and smiled. "Yes, Ma'am. Thanks again, Captain," he said, bowing slightly to her.

"Again, you are more than welcome. I'd also like to let you know that you've proved a top-notch cabin boy on this voyage, and that shall go into your record with my recommendation," Amelia said and smiled before heading back to her place on the bridge.

The next day they finally made port. Kitty looked wide-eyed at the enormous Interstellar Academy, which bustled with seemingly endless energy. Never in her entire life had she seen buildings like these ones. Once the ship was secured, the watches set, and the cadets dismissed, Kitty walked tentatively down the gangway on to docks of the star port, looking about in wonder.

Amelia, leaving Mr. Arrow in charge, followed her charge down, choosing to stop beside her. "Rather amazing, isn't it?" Amelia ventured.

"Oh, yes," Kitty said in awe.

"I don't know, though...I find it a bit busy. Much prefer the expanses of the Etherium myself," Amelia said, grinning in jest. Kitty goggled at her, and simply gaped. Amelia took pity on her, and added, "Might you like to join me as I deliver my report to the Academy Headmaster?" Amelia asked and held up a thick letter-sized envelope.

"Sure! I'd love to, Captain," Kitty said and walked along beside Amelia. As they walked toward the white glistening campus, Kitty saw many teens her age walking about, shopping, talking, rushing about.

Kitty frowned when she realized that they all seemed to be looking rather curiously at both her and Amelia. "Amelia, um, why are these people all staring at us?" Kitty whispered after a while.

Amelia smiled and adjusted her hat on her head. "Don't let them bother you, my friend. They're simply wondering if we´re their fellow students, and if we are, whether we're free for a night of 'fun', or should they leave we two to ourselves.

Kitty smiled at that, casting a look of undestanding Amelia's way. "Oh, just let them try," she said quietly, grinning mischieviously.

Amelia laughed, knowing how difficult this girl could be to read when she put her mind to it. Finally, they made their way to the Adminstration Building, and were---after reviewing Amelia's credentials, escorted to the Headmaster's office. Once inside, Amelia removed her hat, placing it under her left arm, and gave the envelope with her report on her class of cadets over to the Deputy Headmaster, saluting the man politely before turning smartly on her heel, and making her way outside into the Academy grounds once more. Outside, she met up again with Kitty, who had decided to wait outside for her.

Amelia had to work had to stifle a giggle, as she saw the storm on Kitty's face. Kitty had her eyes closed tightly, standing against the wall, fuming, breathing hard. Amelia's quick eye also spotted---not too far away---a young male canid walking with a hand over what was undoubtably going to be quite a shiner in the afternoon. Amelia then noticed the young man was walking a bit funny...and clapped a hand over her mouth as she realized that the spirited Kitty had countered an unwanted advance of this fellow with a meaningful kick to his groin area.

Amelia smiled, and shook her head, moving over beside where Kitty stood. She put a hand on her young friend's shoulder, and gave her a questioning look. "Ah, there you are, Kitty...doing your part---no doubt---to fraternize with your fellow cadets, hmm?" she observed in an amused voice.

"He had it coming," Kitty growled. "He's just lucky I'm in a good mood, or I would of broken his fingers too." Kitty fumed anew. "Amelia, you know full well that I´m a tomboy, so can the clever remarks, okay?" Kitty said.

Amelia burst into soft laughter, waving Kitty to follow her, which she did her blond head held high, totally ignoring the somewhat worse for wear canid in their footsteps...

Time passed, and Kitty moved in with Amelia in her place at the star port. When another voyage was brokered, Kitty was the first to beg to sign up. Amelia readily agreed, and preparations began in earnest. In the span of a couple of weeks, the ship was crewed and reprovisioned.

Two of them walked the pier toward where the Legacy was bertherd. As the approached the gangway, Kitty blinked, suddenly realizing something. "Hey! Um, Amelia?" Kitty suddenly piped up.

Amelia turned her head, but continued walking. "Yes, Kitty?" Amelia said politely.

"I've been thinking...um, this is going to be my first launch, right? Um..." Kitty replied, uncertain as to how to proceed.

"Oh, dear," Amelia answered, suddenly realizing what Kitty was trying to say. "No doubt you saw our launch sequence in that infernal movie of yours, yes?"

"Why, yes...it´s my fave scene," Kitty replied, nodding.

Amelia's eyebrow quirked up. "Fave?" Amelia asked.

"I mean favorite, Amelia," Kitty supplied, smoothing over her use of slang. "I liked it when the gravity suddenly disapears. But, I have to admit I'm not much looking forward to the 'full speed ahead' part," Kitty smiled wanly.

Amelia smiled, understanding her concern. "Ah. You needn't worry on that count, dear. Just stand in front of Arrow, and you´ll see that everything will go just fine."

"Great. Thanks," Kitty said. "So...where are we going?"

"Home...at least to me. I have my primary residence at a nearby spaceport, you understand," Amelia explained.

"Really? What's the name of it?" Kitty asked, intrigued.

"Felinsia Spaceport, of course," Amelia said smiling over at her friend. "Felinisia is the homeworld for we felinids, Kitty dear."

An hour later, when Kitty experienced her first launch, everything went surprisingly well. She nearly managed to keep her feet when the Legacy lurched into full speed, but Arrow stood behind her and made sure she didn't slam back into the bridge rail behind her. All and all, this trip was a becoming really great idea, she thought to herself.

So her life went for year after year, never a dull moment. Kitty and Amelia both grew up, the fastest of friends, and spacers to the core. Then, their came the celebration of Amelia's thirtieth birthday.

Kitty and Amelia looked near twins, but for Kitty´s blonde hair, and Amelia's mole. Kitty had decided on the eve of her twentieth birthday to get herself a present, and she chose to have a tail grafted on. Hers was the same color as her skin but with a blond tuft at the end of it.

Alexander and Kitty kept in close contact with each other, and saw each other over the holidays and the like.

One day, Amelia got a letter in the post. She took it in, opened it, and started reading it. Kitty, who had been reading, was startled by Amelia's bellowing for both her and Arrow.

"What is it this time, Amelia?" Kitty asked.

Amelia smiled. "Good news, you rogue. We've

been hired for another voyage."

Kitty took the letter, and looked it over. She read the text, then---simply out of curiosity read the name of the sender, one Doctor Delbert Doppler.

"About time," she muttered to herself, smiling and thinking, _this will be one heck of an adventure..._


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 

"Might I inquire as to precisely what sort of an adventure this might be, Captain?" Arrow grumbled inquiringly.

"Smooth your feathers down, Arrow," Amelia said in an attempt to placate her First Officer. "This Doctor Doppler informed me that he had, in his possession no less, a treasure map of some sort," Amelia assured him, and took the note from her trouser pocket. As she spread it upon the pristine wood of her desk, Kitty leaned over to look upon it. There it was, the whole fabled story, lying on Amelia's desk...describing in excruiciating detail as to just how the map had come into Doppler and his young colleague's hands. As well as providing---in specific detail, just which planet their eventual destination would be.

"Um, Captain...have you read everything the good Doctor gave you?" Kitty asked, in a bit leading tone of voice.

Amelia frowned minutely. "No, not as of yet, why? Should I?" Amelia asked.

"Well, you could you know. But, if you'd prefer...I could show you the part of that movie of mine I've so often told you about?"

Amelia's clear green eyes went wide, and her mouth opened. "Great Cassius Drift! You mean to tell me that this is _that_ adventure?" Amelia asked incredulously.

"Yep! Oh yeah," Kitty said and snapped her fingers. Before Arrow's and Amelia's wondering eyes, a small box-like device with a dark screen taking up the majority of its front, appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Kitty grinned. "And...now the movie, folks," she added, giggling. The device's screen flickered into life then, and Kitty's move began playing. (Do remember that it's been over twelve years now since Kitty receive her powers, so she's bound to not need her ring any longer...)

Kitty impatiently fast-forwarded the movie ahead, to where the aging ex-pirate, Billy Bones, made his appearance. Amelia rested her chin upon the back of her hands, and watched in rapt attention.

When Doctor Doppler first appeared, Arrow was forced to smother a smile. He remembered the picture Kitty had once shown him, and he looked identical to that picture...to a tee, in fact.

The movie continued, and Amelia, as well as Arrow, both widened their eyes in awe and surprise when Jim opened the ancient map.

Amelia smiled in interest, thinking this all fanciful entertainment...that is until she cast her eyes upon...

"Treasure Planet!" she exclaimed, slapping her hand down on her desk. "Bloody hell..." Amelia could only look over to Arrow dumbfounded.

"Ah, I see you're acquainted with where we´re going then?" Kitty asked, grinning.

"But...it can´t be," Amelia said in an extremely quiet voice. "It's only a fable. A myth, a legend..."

"Oh, yes it can. And, it's real...trust me," Kitty replied.

The movie continued, and Amelia then observed professionally. "That man's a menace. What does he know about hiring a crew?" Amelia said. "Most likely he'll be thinking with his pocketbook instead of his brain, I'll warrant." Ameli then turned to Kitty. "So, Ms. Smarty-Pants, what sort of crew does this fellow manage to hire for me?"

"Well," began Kitty a bit hesitantly. "Let's put it this way...in the movie, you refered to them---and I quote---as a 'ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots.'"

Arrow chortled softly at that, but Amelia simply scowled.

"Blast it! That's not good. Not good at all," Amelia said. "On a voyage such as this, a stalwart and loyal crew is of paramount importance. You should know that by now, Kitty."

"I know, but trust me, you´ll get used to them soon enough," Kitty said, just before she turned off the picture viewer, snapped her fingers, and the device was magically whisked away.

Amelia continued to grumble. "Trust me, she says," Amelia softly growled, getting up to her feet to begin to pace. "You are entirely far too comfortable with that particular turn of phrase, Kitty dear."

Kitty waved away her observation like a pesky insect. "So, can I come along then?" she asked, imploring her friend with her big blue eyes. "I mean, even if Doctor Doppler's already hired a crew, I could fill in as your Second Officer, correct?"

Amelia and Arrow exchanged mysterious looks with one another before coming to some sort of mental consensus.

"Agreed," Amelia said after a while.

"Oh great! Thanks, Amelia!" Kitty said, then saluted her, and dashed off to her room and began packing.

Downstairs, Amelia sighed in a mix of happiness and apprehension. She murmured a quiet prayer she that Kitty would act her age this once, and not regress to behaving as she had before...which was childishly...at least in Amelia's book. Needless to say, that was a one prayer, the stalwart Captain would waste.

They all left next day, taking the ferry toward the Cresentia spaceport to make their fateful meeting with Doctor Doppler and Jim Hawkins.

Upon arriving at the star port, Kitty looked about herself, at all the wonders Crescentia had to offer, and found herself wanting look around rather badly. She told this to Amelia, saying that she would be going for a walk.

Amelia replied that she was to be back no later than 1700 hours, or they would raise ship without her. Kitty nodded, and waved good-bye, dashing down the gangway and into Crescentia proper.

Kitty toured the expansive star port and its surrounding attractions for nearly one-half hour, before she saw someone interesting. She veered minutely in their direction, her sense of adventure blooming.

John Silver and his crew of scruffy, unscrupulous spacers were walking about in a group, muttering. Kitty´s acute felinid hearing allowed her to hear most everything they said to one another.

"Blast it! That scow, the Legacy, has got t'be 'round here somewheres," Silver growled, irritated.

The large, very fat and slovenly spacer named Meltdown muttered something about being dead tired. Silver's response to his gripe was to say that he could arrange for him to be just plain dead, and to shut up, as some exercise would be good for the unfit spacer.

Kitty smiled and made her way over toward them. "Ah, excuse me, gentlemen," she said airily, and stopped before the scruffy looking gang.

Silver shot his men a look of warning, and stepped in front of this woman, shielding his big-mouthed crew from her attention. "Ah, faith, but what could I be doin' fer yeh, Ma'am?" Silver piped, the silver tongued devil he could be when he so chose to.

"Yes, I was getting to that. I could not help but hear the first part of your conversation. I believe I could be of assistance to you. You see, I happen to know precisely where the RLS Legacy is currently berthed."

"Well now, our luck seems to be turnin' up, so it does. You say yeh know where the Legacy might be docked, so you do?" Silver asked smarmily.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do," Kitty replied, and plucked the rumpled map from the seemingly gregarious ursinid's meaty fist. "Ah, yes, there we are. You lot are here, right this minute," she told him, and pointed with her finger to the map. "Now, The RLS Legacy, your goal, is over here. Do you see?" She pointed to another part of the map. "I'm on my way back there myself...so if you'd like, I could show you the way. But, I'll warn you, I'm a very fast walker, so you'll have to keep up."

"Ah now, don´t yeh be worryin' yer pretty head o'er that now, Ma'am," Silver said, looking back meaningfully at the panting Meltdown. "We´ll be fine to be a-findin' it ourselves, thank yeh."

"Of course," Kitty nodded and then watched them disappear, before teleporting herself back to the ship.

"Hello there, Amelia," she said as she apparted beside Amelia, who gasped and somehow suppressed a screech of surprise.

Amelia blinked, controlled her breathing, and turned to her friend. "Kitty, how many times must I tell you," Amelia growled irately at her. "No teleporting...especially right behind me."

"Sorry 'bout that, Captain," Kitty said, then saw broke away from the conversation as she now saw some people coming out of the buildings that lined the berths of the spaceport. "Oh, and I'd not waste your breath beating up the Doc when he comes aboard."

"Oh really? Why?" Amelia asked, looking hard at Kitty.

"The poor guy's in for a shock as it is, and it will only get worse for him...as _that_ is the crew he hired," Kitty informed her, pointing down to the group of piratical scalawags that were making their way toward the Legacy even as she spoke. Kitty then excused herself before Amelia could comment, wanting to be with Arrow when he made his introductions to both Jim and Delbert.

As Silver and his bunch made it on deck, it was no surprise to Kitty when Amelia's face became a veritable storm as Silver's spacers swaggered their way abord her beloved ship.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Silver strode up the gangway aboard the RLS Legacy, followed by his somewhat scruffy-looking crewmates.

"Good morning there!" Kitty yelled upon catching sight of the cyborg, waving his way in greeting.

Silver's eyes went wide in most obvious surprise. "Just how in blazes did that girl get here afore us all? He thought quickly to himself. That train of thought was cut short when he fell under the disapproving gaze of the felinid who stood upon the ship's bridge. Silver was a bit unnerved at just how much like the first lass this one was. She looked nearly Kitty's twin, but for three things: her hair was a rich auburn instead of Kitty's blonde, her uniform was of a ship's Captain instead of Kitty's creamy white apparel, and her facial expression was a storm of disapproval instead of the one of polite greeting that Kitty wore.

Amelia nodded---as politely as she could manage---and said---in a most commanding voice, "Welcome, gentlemen, aboard the RLS Legacy. I am Captain Amelia, the owner of this fine ship." She paused, her laser-like green eyes scrutinizing the uncivilized group with near surgical precision. She continued, "Now, before we begin our acquaintance, I'm rather afraid I need to review all your papers and credential, so that I can ascertain your histories and particular skill sets. You know, it just won't do for me to take on a bunch of greenhorns, when I'm in need of seasoned spacers. I'm sure you understand..." Amelia's smile was polite, but pointed.

Silver frowned a moment, but then withdrew from his striped trousers a tired, dog-eared envelope and handed it over to Amelia. "Here yeh are, Ma'am. Papers for me spacers, as well as meself. There all in order, o' course..." Silver tried to give Amelia his most charming smile.

Amelia flicked her glance his way a moment. "Yes, I'm sure. Oh, thank you, Mister...?" Amelia looked back to Silver's face, searching for his name.

Silver bowed his head in respect and smiled again. "I be John Silver, Ma'am...at your service, so I am," Silver informed her. "Seasoned spacer and cyborg extraordinaire." Silver grinned broadly at his boast, then added, "As yer cook, yeh see, on this fine adventure o' yours, Cap'n."

Amelia raised an eyebrow at that, and simply nodded. She moved back to her position on the bridge, with Kitty and Arrow standing beside her. She looked over the ursinid's papers in detail... but, much to her disappointment, everything seemed in order. "Very well then. As I've already told you, I'm Captain Amelia, commander of this ship. This fine gentleman is my First Officer, Mr. Arrow," she said and Arrow nodded to Silver's spacers. "Rounding out this ship's complement of officers, will be Ms. Petro here," Amelia continued, nodding toward Kitty, who nodded, then waited until Amelia's gaze was elsewhere and then added a friendly wave at the would-be pirates. Amelia turned her eye back toward Kitty. "Ms. Petro here will serve in the capacity of my Second Officer, deferring to only Arrow and myself," Amelia explained. "So... to make this quite simple, if one of we three should tell you to do something, do consider it an order. Not following one of our orders will be seen as insubordination or even mutiny... and will result in your enjoying the remainder of our voyage in our ship's fine brig. Do I make myself abundantly clear, gentlemen and lady?"

"Yes, Ma'am" or "Yes, Cap'n", the spacers said.

"Very good then, you are all dismissed. Arrow will be about to assign you your duties. Clear skies to you all," Amelia said, then turned about began walking towards her stateroom.

"Ah, beggin' yer pardon an' all, Ma'am," Silver said, as he sidled up beside Kitty. Much to his surprise, the girl's normally friendly face was as serious as the dour Captain's. "If'n it isn't too much bother, Ma'am... do yeh think yeh could so kind as to be pointin' meself in the direction o' the galley?"

"Of course," Kitty replied, gestured to Silver to follow, and they both made their way toward the galley, which was aft and below deck.

Once down in the galley, Silver looked around what was to be his new surroundings. "Aye, this is mighty cozy, so it is," he observed with a grin. He turned back to where Kitty still stood, watching him. "Er, I've a question of yeh, Miss," Silver ventured, rubbing his real hand along his lantern jaw. "How might a fine bonny lass such as yerself manage to arrive aboard afore the rest o' us? If'n yeh don't mind me askin', that is, Ma'am?" He asked.

Kitty smiled at his question. "Well, let's just say that I know a few tricks, Mr. Silver," Kitty said mysteriously, then turned toward the purp barrel, raising her hand, her palm upward.

Silver's eyes---both of them---widened in awe as one purp began floating just a few centimeters in the air above the lip of the barrel. Kitty then began moving her fingers in a beckoning gesture, like she was enticing the purple fruit to her palm. When it was right in front of her, she snatched it quickly from the air, and took a bite of it. "You know, old boy, lunch isn't all that far off. The Captain gets cranky if her lunch is late. So, you shoud probably start your preparations... and soon," Silver she said to the cyborg. "We´ll be launching at 1700 hours today."

Silver, shaking his head in wonder, saluted the young woman. "Yes, Ma'am. Right away, Ma'am," Silver said quietly as Kitty started walking towards the stairs leading up on deck. He continued to shake his head, even as he began preparations for making his famous bonzabeast stew.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Kitty made her way to the main deck, then up again on to the bridge deck, finally making her way back to the stateroom she shared with Amelia.

Amelia chance a look up from her desk as Kitty made her way within. "Ah, hello, Kitty," Amelia said by way of greeting, without looking up again.

Kitty shook her head, a bit perplexed. "Might I ask just how you knew it was me?" Kitty asked.

Amelia placed her quill pen down, and looked up at her Second Officer. "That's very simple, you see. Because anyone else would know that to going into the Captain´s stateroom without invitation would garner that person extra duty at best, a few days in the brig at worst."

Kitty just smiled, unphased by Amelia's implicit warning. "So...what do you think of the crew?"

Before Amelia could answer, a heavy knocking of what could only be Mr. Arrow sounded upon the door, then he entered. Arrow looked quite thoroughly disgusted about something. "Begging your pardon, Ma'am...but I think there is some question as to Doctor Doppler's abilities in picking spacers. I have never seen such---" Arrow complained vehemently.

"Yes I know," Amelia interrupted. "They are at best, a ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots," Amelia announced and sighed heavily.

Kitty had to laugh at Amelia's most appropriate choice of words.

"Oh yes, laugh away, young lady," Amelia grumbled, scowling. "I have a bad feeling about this voyage...especially one with this crew aboard." Amelia looked over to Kitty for some sign of continued laughter or saucy comment, but years with Amelia had taught Kitty to make her face nearly unreadable when she wanted to.

Seeing no reason to dwel further upon her fate, Amelia gathered up her journals, chart, and the like and put them away. "Well," Amelia then said looking over to the clock on the wall. "I'm afraid I must be off to inspect a few things. While I'm gone, I'm expecting the both of you to get this ship ship-shape and ready to sail before we launch. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am!" both Arrow and Kitty said and saluted her before returning back on deck. All was going fairly well---at least Kitty thought so---until the pirate spacers began to balk at all hard labor they were being forced to do. Kitty took it upon herself to show these scruffy spacers a thing or three.

Kitty moved over to where a groupd of spacers were gathered around a huge, seemingly heavy crate. As she ambled over, they gaver her a look as if she where some sort of troublesome insect. She quickly identified the Mantavore Scroop and the enormously fat Meltdown both trying---with very little success---to lift the crate, even with the assistance of the ship's main mast winch. Kitty chuckled at their ineptness and headed over to where the two sweating unhappy spacers stood glaring first at the crate, then at Kitty.

"Laugh, if you will, feline," Scroop hissed in suppressed fury. "If you can do better then pleasssse sssssshow ussssssss," he growled in his hissing voice.

Kitty lifted an eyebrow in surprise, snorted at their inability to do so simple a task, and bent over to lift the huge crate with the little finger of her left hand. "Mr. Arrow!" she yelled over to him.

Arrow looked over to where Kitty had bellowed, his craggy eyebrows moving up in surprise as this slender felinid holding aloft that enormous crate with a single finger. "Yes, Ms. Petro?" he boomed back.

"Beg pardon, but...just where is this supposed to go, please?" Kitty yelled again, asking for direction.

"Ah, that would be our stores of armaments," Arrow answered. "Kindly store them in the Armory, if you please!"

Kitty nodded her thanks, then moved off toward the armory or weapons locker, where all the weapons were hel secure (at least for a while), whistling a jaunty tune as she balanced the huge heavy crate on the tip of her pinky finger.

The scurulous spacers seemed to be inspired that a seemingly frail girl was showing them up, and gave up whining and complaining, and finished the work of lading the ship. Kitty decided it was time to keep herself close to Arrow. She knew she didn't want to miss seeing Amelia introduce herself to both Delbert and Jim when they came aboard ship.

Amongst her other duties, Kitty kept an eye out for the pair, and smiled when she spotted Delbert chrashing into Jim from behind as he looked up in awe at the RLS Legacy. It wasn't too much longer and the pair came aboard up the gangway. Delbert came up beside Arrow in his ridiculous spacesuit.

"Ahoy, Captain! Everything ship-shape?" he said eagerly, wanting most desperately to appear at least somewhat spaceworthy to this huge confident spacer.

Arrow turned to face the nervous doctor, smiling before answering. "Ship-shape it is, sir. But...I´m not the Captain. The Captain is aloft."

Kitty smiled as she sidled up beside and slightly behind Arrow, as Amelia appeared doing her rather impressive array of somersaults to land on the deck before Arrow and the Doctor. Kitty whispered to Arrow sotto voce, "And to think...she tells me to not show off."

Amelia paused a moment to allow herself a smile of smug satisfaction. "Mr. Arrow, Ms. Petro...I've inspected this miserable ship from stem to stern, and, as usual, it's spot on! Can you two get nothing wrong?"

Arrow bowed, grinning at Amelia's praise, so Kitty took it upon herself to say, "You flatter us both, Captain."

Amelia winked at the two, before heading over toward the Doctor and the look that Amelia directed Doppler's way was absolutely priceless. "Ah," Amelia began, looking over Delbert with a practiced eye. "Doctor Doppler, I presume?"

Kitty found she could only watch in glee, as concentrating on not laughing aloud was about all she could do and still hear what was going on. But, that didn't really matter, as she knew the dialogue of the whole movie by rote. When Kitty finally had recomposed herself, she knew precisely where the conversation had gotten as Amelia had her vise-like grip about poor Delbert's muzzle.

Kitty followed the four of them, walking just behind Amelia and Arrow. Once inside Amelia's stateroom, Kitty walked over to stand beside Arrow, smiling brightly at both Delbert and Jim before she heard the click of Amelia dogging the door behind her. Kitty knew what was about to happen, and couldn't help but fell sorry for poor Delbert. She knew he was in for a real tongue-lashing from Amelia, who was not in the best of moods, no sir. It wasn't bad enough for the good Doctor to be caught talking about treasure maps aloud on deck, no...in addition to that, he had hired a crew that Amelia hated nearly from the first moment she laid eyes upon them.

Kitty cringed, listening to Amelia berate the Doctor...just as she had in the movie. Despite her sympathy for the Doctor, Kitty had to smile when she saw Jim amble over to the open locker, and begin playing with Amelia's belongings. After Amelia had finished chewing out both Delbert and Jim good and proper, she watched as Arrow escorted one angry Doctor Doppler and an equally perturbed Jim Hawkins down to the galley, where Jim would be working.

Amelia sighed heavily, rolling her eyes heavenward a moment...this had been a really hard and trying day so far for the intrepid Captain.

"C'mon now, don´t worry, Amelia," Kitty soothed, moving behind her to gently rub her shoulders. "Everything's going to be just fine."

"Oh, really? That's wonderful. But, just for argument's sake, lets's say it won't. What then?" Amelia asked.

Kitty gently kneaded Amelia's tight shoulders. "Well...then I suppose tht Arrow and I will just have to send you to O.N.O.S."

"O.N.O.S.?" Amelia replied with a question.

"Sure! Remember? That's the 'Overworked Naval Officers Society', Amelia. Gee, you'd really be great there," Kitty gushed, grinning mischievously. "No more voyages or responsibility of any kind ever again. Doesn't that sound great?"

Amelia grunted as Kitty broke up a particular stubborn knot in her shoulders. "Just you try it, Miss, and you'll regret it. That, I promise you, dear," Amelia growled, but not very menacingly. "Before I let you rogues lock me away in that dreadful place, I'd rather lock myself in that cupboard again..."

Kitty chuckled at that, and conjured Amelia's blue tri-corner hat out of nowhere, placing it upon her head. Quite accidentally, Kitty had discovered a weaknees of Amelia's. The year after she had moved into Amelia's home, Kitty had somehow managed to lock Amelia inside a cupboard in the kitchen---purely for fun, of course. Had Arrow not been around to get her out, Amelia might not of made it out alive. Amelia, it seemed, suffered from acute claustrophobia, and being wedged into such confining spaces had resulted in her hyperventilating and sweating in terror. "Don't you worry, Captain, I won't," Kitty said smilling to Amelia.

"I don't care what they all say, Kitty dear, I think your a top-notch girl," Amelia teased, smiling and hugging Kitty before heading back out on deck once again.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Once out on deck again herself, Kitty took her place beside Amelia, back a step upon her right. Amelia, noticing Kitty's arrival, nodded to a crewman, who blew a shrill blast on a whistle, making it clear that the Captain intended to launch the Legacy. The spacers began to move to their stations, as Arrow and Delbert made their way up on deck and then to the bridge where they belonged.

Delbert, obviously intrigued as this was his first time on the bridge of a lightship, moved eagerly to the front of the bridge, where he placed his hands on the rail, and looked about at all the activity in amazement. Arrow moved over to stand opposite Kitty on Amelia's left.

Kitty noticed right away that Amelia's tail tuft twitched in impatience, and then noticed the source of that impatience, which was the Doctor...if Amelia's well-concealed glare was any indication.

Kitty smiled faintly, making the moral decision to save their benefactor, Doctor Doppler, a tongue-lashing from the good Captain. "Um, Doctor?" she said politely and delicately.

Hearing his name spoken, the enthusiastic canid astrophysicist looked up and over at Kitty. "Yes, Miss?" he answered with a gentle smile.

"Do you think I could impose upon you to move ever so slightly to your left? I´m rather afraid that you´ve managed to impare the Captain's field of view for the launch."

"Oh. Oh, my," Delbert said as he realized his inadvertant faux pas, and he quickly moved over to stand beside Arrow on his left.

"A delightfully charming fellow, isn't he?" Kitty said quietly to Arrow, which forced Arrow to stifle a chuckle. Amelia turned her head slightly, and simply arched her slender auburn brow. She chose to ignore Kitty's comment entirely, and announced to her officers. "Well, my friends...are we ready to raise this creaking tub?"

"My pleasure, Ma'am," Arrow answered, then promply began bellowing orders to the crew. Before one could say 'God save the Empress', the RLS Legacy hove up from its moorings, and began to rise quickly away from its berth. Kitty had to laugh softly at Delbert---who had risen awkwardly from the deck, and was currently upside down---when Amelia instructed the Flatuan spacer, Mr. Snuff, to engage the artificial gravity. Even Amelia couldn't repress a small smile as the gangly Doctor crashed noisly to the deck.

Amelia pretended not to notice the good Doctor's dilemma, and continued on with the launch. "Full speed ahead, Mr. Arrow, if you please."

Delbert had finally managed to regain his feet, standing woozily with his hand on the starboard rail, when Kitty elbowed Amelia softly in the ribs.

Amelia caught her glance, and she quickly piped up. "Brace yourself, Doctor," she warned, a small smile on her lips, knowing full well jus what was about to occur.

Kitty leaned back against Arrow's broad chest as the ship's primary thrusters flared with power, the acceleration causing her short blond hair to whisk back. Kitty knowingly looked over to where Doppler stood, and---boom!---there he went, skidding along the deck to slam painfully into the aft bridge rail with a racket and clatter. Kitty had to admit to herself that it was cruel of her to laugh, but the scene was so funny, she simply couldn't help herself.

"There there, Kitty," Amelia chided her Second Officer. "It simply won't do to have my officers laughing at our sponsors now, will it?"

Kitty shook her head, grinning, and then spotted a nearby pod of Orctus Galacticus easing into view off the ship's starboard side. "Hey, Captain...look at the Doctor now," Kitty whispered in her ear. Amelia frowned at first, but then turned toward where the most enthusiastic Doctor had retrieved his camera and set up to take a snapshot. "Smile!" he boomed, peering distractedly through the device's lens.

Amelia, ever the beneficient Captain, tried in vain to warn Delbert. "Eh, Doctor... I would stand clear if I where---" But, before she could even finish her warning, the Doctor was splattered by a blast of ethereal spume from the nearest Orctus Galacticus.

Kitty choked, then began laughing again, even as the normally taciturn Amelia could not suppress a small chuckle at the sight.

It was just then the cook, Silver, appeared and bowed to Amelia as she turned her attention towards him. "'Tis a grand day for sailing, Captain," he announced grandly. "And look at you," he continued, trying very hard to be as charming as he could manage, "you´re as trim and bonny as a sloop with new sails and a fresh coat of paint." He bowed again, though he peered up from his bow at Amelia to gauge her reaction.

Amelia was having not of his tripe, and simply rolled his eyes at his attempts to flatter her. "You can save that kind of flim–flammery for your spaceport floozies, Silver.".

Kitty moved over toward where Delbert stood, still trying to wipe the viscous goo from his face and spacesuit. "Here you are, Doctor. Try this," Kitty said and gave him a towel she apparently conjured from the ether. "I do apologize for my laughter," Kitty continued as he took it. "I´m afraid I have a very wry sense of humor, I'm afraid. I find I can laugh at nearly anything. You should of seen me when I dyed Amelia's---er, I mean, the Captain's---hair bright pink."

"Bright pink, did you say?" Delbert replied, looking up towards where the cool, beautiful Captain stood, raising an curious eyebrow. "Whyever did you do something like that?" he asked, then grinned.

"Well, truth be known, because the Captain has a very bad habit of wanting to play matchmaker for me, and frankly, I won´t have it, thank you very much." Kitty announed primly.

Delbert smiled at this spunky young felinid. "Well, perhaps one day you may just find the right person for you, Miss."

Kitty smiled. "What about you, Doctor?" she asked. "Would there be a Mrs. Doppler waiting for you back home?"

Delbert blushed at the very idea. "Heh, oh heavens no! I´m afraid not, my dear," Delbert said, giving a nervous little laugh at first.

"Well," Kitty said looking out into the etherium, then glanced up at her friend, the Captain. "You never do know, Doctor...maybe one day, eh? Now...if you would be so kind as to follow me, Doctor, I shall follow you to your cabin."

Kitty led the Doctor to his cabin, one deck below the Captain's. "Usually, you see, everyone would sleep down in hammocks, but well...you arranged all this, so you get preferential treatment."

"I say...does that mean that you sleep down in a hammock, too?" Delbert asked, appalled at that idea.

"No, no, Doctor...I´m a woman," Kitty corrected him. "I have my own bed in the Captain's quarters, you see. We've shared that room since I met her."

"You mean...that the two of you aren't sisters then?" Delbert asked, then promptly blushed again, charming Kitty.

"No. Amelia and I are just very close friends, Doctor," Kitty said. "She took me in when I ran away from home, but---in a way---she has been like the sister I never had." She then stopped outside the Doctor's cabin door. "Here you are. These are your chambers, Doctor," Kitty said and opened the door. "Lunch will be served in approximately an hour. Good day to you." And with that she left, with Delbert's most curious eyes boring into the back of her neck, making her tail swish back and fourth in happiness.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

When Kitty made her way up on deck again, she saw Jim mopping the main deck. She also saw the hulking, menacing spacer, Mr. Hands, not far away glaring at the boy. She hurried her way up the stairs to Amelia's quarters. She dashed inside, not even bothering knocking. "Captain! Arrow!" she yelped.

"Kitty, how many times must I tell you to knock before entering, hmm?" Amelia asked looking up at her.

Kitty just arched an eyebrow, her face a bit grim. She turned toward Arrow. "Arrow, if I were you, I'd head out on deck...right this very moment," Kitty advised.

"Oh? And why might that be, Kitty?" Arrow asked.

"Because that foul bug Scroop and his cronies are looking for a chance to kill our Mr. Hawkins, that's why," Kitty declared vehemently. Amelia's green eyes went wide, and she opened her mouth in surprise, as Arrow shot to his feet quickly, and dashed out on deck.

"You're welcome!" Kitty yelled after him.

Amelia could only sigh. "Just my bloody luck," she muttered irritably.

"Oh, come now, Amelia...relax," Kitty counseled.

"I shall," Amelia said, "but only if you promise me that I'm going to make it out of this disaster waiting to happen in one piece," she answered with a wry grin.

"Oh, that! I promise, Captain...you'll be okay," Kitty said. Kitty knew that Amelia would make it...but she felt her stomach flutter in sorrow when she remembered the image of Arrow falling overboard and down the gullet of that black hole. Kitty swallowed hard...it was so hard for her to know that he had to die so Amelia would seek consolation from Delbert.

"Amelia?" Kitty said after she gained control of herself once more.

"Yes, dear?" Amelia answered, not even looking up from her work.

"Would it be all right with you if I invite the Doctor to eat with us today?" Kitty asked. Amelia looked up at her at that question. Kitty perservered, "I mean, you really should try to get to know him a bit better, don't you think?" Kitty said trying to not come off as seeming to be pushy.

"Very well, I suppose, Amelia conceded, and Kitty mentally squealed 'Yes!'. She dashed off again, and once on deck, saw Arrow and Scroop glaring at one another furiously...evidently the two had had their clash already. Arrow walked past Kitty resolutely, his granite jaw firm and set with anger. Kitty followed Arrow back inside Amelia's stateroom, and she had to swallow a small screech as Arrow unexpectedly wheeled on her to say, "Thank you, Kitty...should there be a next time, do tell me as soon as possible, all right?" Kitty nodded before going down to fetch the Doctor from his cabin.

There he laid, half asleep over a book on some topic related to astrophysics. Kitty gently removed the book, which caused Delbert to come awake with a start. Kitty looked at the book and said (as Delbert hadn't quite realised exactly where he was just yet) "How can anyone enjoy something that´s so complicated that nearly no one else can easily understand it?"

As she was saying this, she turned the book upside down and sideways, trying to make heads or tails of it. Delbert took the book gently away from Kitty. "Actually, Miss, it´s not nearly as complicated to understand as you might think," he said.

Kitty smiled. "Whatever. Oh, by the way, Doctor," she said and took off her tricorner hat to be polite. "The Captain cordially invites you to take lunch with her, Arrow, and myself in her stateroom, if you'd care to join us," Kitty said with a polite nod of her head.

"Did she? Well, well," Delbert remarked, rising to his feet to follow her. But, before the eager canid made his way toward the door, Kitty advised him. "Listen here, Doctor...I am going to be as polite as I can when I say this: lose that spacesuit of yours...fast! It's ludicrous-looking at best, and the mere thought of you showing up in that sets me to laughter. So, be a good fellow, and off inside and change into something a bit more proper."

Kitty didn't have to wait long, no more than five minutes. She and Delbert made their way up to Amelia's stateroom, where she went right in---without the benefit of even so much as one knock---as was her usual. Amelia looked up from her paperwork, saw the two, and began putting them away.

"Good day to you, Captain," Delbert greeted the busy Captain.

Amelia was going to say something along the lines of the fact that it was the afternoon already, but the look she received from Kitty made her change her mind. "Good day to you as well, Doctor," she greeted politely in return. "Kitty, if you would be so kind?"

Kitty nodded, understanding at once what Amelia wanted, and with one snap of her fingers, a table with four chairs around it suddenly appeared.

"Well! My word..." Delbert exclaimed, shocked by what had just transpired.

"Don't mention it, Doctor. You're welcome," Kitty said roguishly. She then snapped her fingers again and suddenly a rich linen table cloth popped into being and draped itself over the table, just before a fine set of porcelain dishes, crystal stemware, and sterling silverware were laid fastidiously upon the table.

"Kitty," Amelia warned in a low 'what are you doing' sort of voice. "What in blazes do you---"

"We have a guest, Captain," Kitty reminded her matter of factly, indicating the good Doctor with a cant of her head. "And besides, you may consider this my way of showing you that I do have manners, should I choose to use them."

"Why, yes. So it would appear," Amelia said and arched an eyebrow as two silver candelsticks, complete with rose red tapers, blinked into being upon the tabletop. "But, is this hardly to time to become the cheetah when once you were the turtle, Kitty?"

Kitty simply smiled and shrugged, "Why not?" She then waved a negligent flip of a hand, and the finest bottle of the Captain's limited supply of fine red wine appeared---chilled---on the table's center.

"Very refined, Kitty. But, as far as I remember...ou don´t even drink wine, dear," Amelia remarked, taking her seat.

"True, but you do, so just you hush," Kitty replied.

Delbert just looked from one felinid to the other, as their verbal sparing match continued. "Um, so...just to refresh my memory...who´s exactly in command again?" he asked Kitty.

"Oh, that's an easy one, Doctor. She is," Kitty said pointing a thumb toward Amelia. "But, you see, I'm rather special as I can utilize magic, so she knows enough to not get on my bad side." Kitty paused to let that sink in, then added, "Just how do you think she ended up with a tail anyway?" Kitty said and blinked.

"Tail? I'm sorry, but I don't understand," Delbert asked and suddenly saw Amelia's tail swinging impatiently back and forth in suppresed anger. She chose to ignore the smug looking Kitty, and lifted up one of the fine porcelain plates. "Just where did you come upon this lot, Kitty?"

"Just you turn it over, and you'll see, smarty," Kitty said, just a bit saucily.

Amelia did, and her green eyes became huge as she read the name upon the plate: Christopher Smollet. "These were Poppa's?" She asked, incredulous.

"Oh, yeah. Nothing but the best," Kitty said. "That goes for everything else. The wine is your father's. I think it´s from the west part of Felinesia...but I could be wrong about that."

Amelia laid the plate back down as Arrow knocked, then came inside with the food. He saw Delbert sitting there, and then counted the number of plates. "I do apologize, Captain...I hadn't realize we were having a guest," he said.

"You may thank Miss Petro for that, Arrow," Amelia said as Kitty took the food from Arrow and laid it upon the table. Arrow looked at the table. Hmm, he thought to himself...candles, his friend Christopher's silverware and dishes, and a bottle of fine red wine. He then glanced over toward Delbert, then looked down at Kitty who whistled a innocent tune. I thought so, Arrow thought with a knowing smile.

"So, are we going to eat soon? I'm starving," Kitty asked.

Everyone present then took their seats and started eating and talking. Soon, it was time to go back to work, and as Kitty followed the Doctor back down to his cabin, Amelia turned towards Arrow. "Now, Arrow, precisely what was all that about?" she asked her closest friend.

"Excuse me, Captain...but what was what about?" Arrow asked innocently.

"You know just as well as I that we don´t ever use my father's silverware and dinnerware unless it is a very special occassion like Christmas or Easter. And. Daddy's special issue of wine is also just for things like celebrating New Year's Eve or something along those lines. Care to explain just what you and that rogue Kitty were up to? Hmm?"

"Well, Amelia," Arrow began. "Kitty and I did say we intended to play matchmaker, did we not?"

Amelia just gaped at him. "Preposterous! Doctor Doppler...and myself? Ridiculous!" she nearly screeched.

"Oh, do calm down, Amelia," Arrow chided his young friend. "Besides, I did see you looking his way again and again. Do tell me I was wrong..."

Amelia sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "Arrow, I really don´t have time for this soft of nonsense just now," she said.

"No doubt," Arrow answered kindly, but then his expression hardened a bit. "I suppose you should of thought of that before you tried to play matchmaker with Kitty and myself then, correct? Correct," he said, nodded his head politely, and made his way out to begin his shift on deck.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

When Kitty made her way back from Delbert's cabin again, she saw Jim on deck still mopping the already pristine deck. She sighed, knowing that what she was about to do would not most likely be welcomed by Amelia. She straigthened up, tugged her jacket down, and walked over toward the working Jim.

"Ah, good morning, Jim," she said politely.

He looked up at the sound of her voice. "Hello. What is that you want...er, Ma'am?" he asked, adding the honorific a bit after-the-fact.

Kitty didn't mind. "I thought I´d help you out, if you'd like me to, that is," Kitty said.

Jim scoffed at that. "Yeah, right. You're an officer," he said and looked her right in her eyes. "Why shoud you want to help me out?"

"Because, Mr. Hawkins, even if I am an officer, that doesn't mean I have necessarily sit around all day watching everyone work while taking credit for it. Heavens no! The Captain would have none of that."

Jim smiled, leaning on his mop. "Is that right? Well well...you learn something new everyday. Say, you're loads better than the cops on Montressor," he told the blond felinid girl.

"Thanks," Kitty said, feeling a sense of satisfaction in his seeming acceptance. "Now, do step back," she said.

Jim did so, but with a look of obvious confusion, before Kitty simply snapped her fingers. A sheet of luminescent white-gold light rushed down the length and breadth of the Legacy from bowsprit to sternpost, leaving the ship ship-shape, sparkling, and spotless in its wake.

"Whoa!" Jim said, impressed, dropping his mop to clatter on the deck..

"Hey, what can I say? I...er, know a little magic, let's say," Kitty said humbly. "I wasn't always this way...I used to be human, just like you," she told him confidentally. No one else aboard, with the obvious exclusion of both Amelia and Arrow, knew about that particular fact.

"No way! Really?" Jim asked in apparent disbelief.

"Yes, really," Kitty assured him. She then told him her whole story.

"Whoa. And, I think I have it bad sometimes," Jim said after a while.

"I know," Kitty said. "But...please, don´t tell anyone, all right? Not even Doctor Doppler, you understand?"

"I promise, Kitty," Jim pledged.

"Good," Kitty said and stood up from where she had been leaning against the ship's rail. "One last thing for you to ponder before I head back inside, Jim," she said, turning back around. "I know your father left you and your mother. But, think this over when you find the time: did you think you´d get more attention from your folks as you got older? Because I always thought that way of my family. I remember one time I thought tomorow when I'm ten then maybe they´ll let me sleep in longer and let me have a day off for myself. Well, I was wrong. The older I became the more they continued to yell at me. I soon figured out---after I ran off and left them---it was better to be free and without them, than it was to stay and be a virtual slave." Having said her piece, Kitty nodded her farewell, and headed toward the main mast's shrouds, then scrambling to the crow's nest to settle in before she began softly:

I can't stand to fly,

I'm not that naive,

I'm just out to find,

The better part of me.

I'm more than a bird,

I'm more than a plane,

More than some pretty face beside a train,

It's not easy to be me.

Wish that I could cry,

Fall upon my knees,

Find a way to lie,

About a home I'll never see.

It may sound absurd,

but don't be naive,

Even heroes have the right to bleed.

I may be disturbed,

but won't you concede,

Even heroes have the right to dream.

It's not easy to be me.

Up, up and away,

away from me.

It's all right,

You can all sleep sound tonight.

I'm not crazy

Or anything...

I can't stand to fly,

I'm not that naive,

Men weren't meant to ride,

With clouds between their knees.

I'm only a man in a silly red sheet,

Digging for kryptonite on this one way street.

Only a man in a funny red sheet,

Looking for special things inside of me,

Inside of me.

Inside me.

Yeah, inside me,

Inside of me.

I'm only a man,

In a funny red sheet,

I'm only a man,

Looking for a dream.

I'm only a man,

In a funny red sheet,

And it's not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...

Its not easy to be me...

Kitty sighed after completing her song before she once again made her way down to the deck again, and headed into Amelia's quarters. There, she found her friend, the Captain, scowling at her. Kitty knew what was coming---from her expression at least---and leaned back against the edge of the table as Amelia got to her feet and began her lecture. She started by asking her just what she was up to, singing for a crew---this particular crew!---like some tavern wench. Then where did she get off helping the cabin boy, Hawkins---by using her magic, no less!---to perform his chores for the day. And then finall, getting to the real crux of the matter, by telling her just what she thought of her attempts at matchmaking between the Doctor and herself.

"Finished?" Kitty asked, politely yet yawning. "I'm sorry, Amelia, but I'm beat. I did´nt hear a word you just said, really." As Amelia blinked, and made near unintelligibe word of protest, Kitty continued, around yet another yawn. "I´m way too tired to care, so please move aside, as I intend to get some much-needed sleep. Night." And, leaving the speechless and fuming Amelia in her wake, she made her way sleepily to her bed.

AN: The song is dedicated to Christopher Reeves who died a few days ago. R.I.P.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

For whatever reason, that particular night, Kitty slept extraordinarily well. She did hear Amelia come in sometime later, moving quietly so as to not wake her friend. Amelia changed into her nightgown, then laid down oppotite Kitty on their double bed.

"You know, Amelia..." Kitty began to say quietly as Amelia slid beneath the sheets. "Perhaps, one day, you'll have children of your own who'll sleep with you when they have nigthmares..."

Amelia groaned. "Say good night, Kitty. It's been a trying day, you rogue, and I need my sleep. All right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Kitty replied sleepily, and proceeded to sleep on into the next day.

The next morning, Kitty finally dressed and made her way out into Amelia's stateroom. The busy Captain sat over a most complicated-looking astro-chart, apparently plotting their course.

"Amelia? May I have a look?" Kitty asked.

Amelia looked up at her, her eyes somewhat glazed from her intense concentration. She shook her head to clear it, then said, "Of course, dear. Be my guest." She move her chair aside, so that Kitty could take a closer look. Kitty looked down at the intriguing, though complex, chart. She could see that Amelia had already gotten nearly three-quarters the way through to their eventual destination. Kitty gulped when she saw that the course plotted intersected the star Pellucid.

Trying very hard to sound nonchalant, Kitty observed, "So...when will we be passing Pellucid here?"

"Oh, Pellucid, eh? Well, I´d say in approximately three weeks time, Kitty," Amelia answered after a moment.

Kitty simply nodded, not able---nor willing---to say a thing. She nodded politely to her in farewell before heading out on deck to visit with Arrow. She found him standing on the main deck, watching the most suspect crew of spacers with a steely glare...though, not nearly as steely as Amelia's green eyes sometimes were.

"Well, Arrow, old boy...any bad behavior as of yet?" Kitty asked, partly in humor, partly because she was curious.

"Fortunately, no," Arrow replied. "At least for those ruffians." Arrow then looked down to Kitty. "However, I have observed that Mr. Silver does seem to give our cabin boy a great deal of busy work to complete each day," he told her.

Kitty frowned at that, and looked over to see Silver setting Jim to scrub the deck...which really wasn't necessary as it still shone from Kitty's magical scouring the other day. "Do you think I might be allowed to handle this, Arrow? Please?" she asked.

Arrow smiled indulgently. This girl had him wrapped firmly about her little finger, and knew it. "Of course, Kitty. I leave the matter in your most capable hands," Arrow said gallantly, and nodded.

Kitty smiled winningly at him, then---head up, and determined---she headed down toward where Jim and Silver were. "Mr. Silver!" she called out, loud and clear.

Silver looked up, and stiffened to attention. "Yes, Ma'am?" Silver said politely, as he always did when addressing an officer.

"I see you've assigned Hawkins here to scrub down the decks. Sorry, but that's not really necessary. The decks are not in need of a scrubbing every day, thank you.. Once a week should prove fine enough; waste of time otherwise. So, instead, I suggest you take our Mr. Hawkins here down to the galley and educate him in the fine art of food preparation. That is your speciality, Mr. Silver...is it not?" All in all, Kitty felt rather pleased with herself.

"Yes, Ma'am! Right away, Ma'am," Silver replied forcefully. Jim looked over to Kitty---when Silver wasn't looking---and grinned when Kitty winked at him, before she turned smartly on her heel to go up on to the bridge. There, she found Amelia scanning the instrument, with Arrow patiently and reassuringly beside her.

"Ah, good morning, Mrs. Doppler," Kitty greeted her friend mischievously, which caused Arrow to stifle a chuckle with a small cough.

Amelia eyed her sourly. "Oh yes...very funny, you two. Perhaps you should both resign your commissions and form a comedy team, hmm?" Amelia said sarcasticly, rolled her eyes and sighing.

"Well well...speak of the devil..." Kitty observed, looking over toward where Delbert had appeared, yawning, from his cabin.

"Just my bloody luck," Amelia grumbled under her breath. "Lord, give me strength." Kitty's acute hearing heard her friend's grumbling, and she couldn't help but laugh.

Amelia glared at her, feeling put upon. "Oh, laugh away, Kitty," Amelia growled. "If you believe---even one moment---that I'm going to fall in love with the Doctor...well, then you have another thought coming, dear.".

Kitty patted Amelia's shoulder compassionately. "Oh, believe you me...you will," Kitty told her matter-of-factly.

"Ha! I'll not take your word on that particular matter, my friend. I'm rather afraid I'll need to see some proof of that," Amelia declared stubbornly, crossing her arms before herself.

"Sorry, Captain...I'd love to, but...not just yet," Kitty said mysteriously, and then excused herself to go back into Amelia's stateroom again, where she started drawing. Drawing was a hobby she enjoyed nearly as much as singing. She started drawing, allowing her mind to float away. Before she knew what was happening, she heard the door open, and Amelia's rather commanding voice declare, "I somehow knew I'd find you here, you rogue."

Kitty blinked, coming back from dreamland, and blushed as she saw that she had drawn Alexander Dalley while her mind had drifted. She shook her head, and tore the page in half before it promptly disappeared from view.

"Tsk, tsk...isn't it you that's always telling me how you don´t love Mr. Dalley?" Amelia said, smiling evilly. "Right...and I´m the bloody Empress."

Kitty scoffed in reply, angry that she was still blushing. She stood roguishly and bowed theatrically. "A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness," Kitty replied coolly and smiled.

"Drolly amusing, Kitty," Amelia answered, but scowled.

Kitty smiled at her winsomely, and then took out her headphones and started listening to her "Cats" CD:

Are you blind when you're born?

Can you see in the dark?

Can you look at a king?

Would you sit on his throne?

Can you say of your bite

That it's worse than your bark?

Are you cock of the walk

When you're walking alone?

Because Jellicles are and Jellicles do

Jellicles do and Jellicles would

Jellicles would and Jellicles can

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

When you fall on your head,

Do you land on your feet?

Are you tense when you sense

there's a storm in the air?

Can you find your way blind

when you're lost in the street?

Do you know how to go

to the Heaviside Layer?

Because Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Jellicles do and Jellicles can

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Jellicles do and Jellicles can

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Can you ride on a broomstick

To places far distant?

Familiar with candle,

With book and with bell?

Were you Whittington's friend?

The Pied Piper's assistant?

Have you been an alumnus

Of heaven or hell?

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

We can dive through the air

like a flying trapeze

We can turn double somersaults,

bounce on a tire

We can run up the wall,

we can swing through the trees

We can balance on bars,

we can walk on a wire

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Can you sing at the same time

in more than one key

Duets by Rossini

and waltzes by Strauss

And can you (as cats do)

begin with a C

That always triumphantly

brings down the house

Jellicle cats are queen of the nights

Singing at astronomical heights

Handling pieces from the Messiah

Hallelujah, angelical choir

The mystical divinity of unashamed felinity

Round the cathedral rang "Vivat!"

Life to the everlasting cat!

Feline, fearless, faithful and true

To others who do what

Jellicles do and Jellicles can

Jellicles can and Jellicles do

Jellicle cats sing Jellicle chants

Jellicles old and Jellicles new

Jellicle song and Jellicle dance

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Practical cats, dramatical cats

Pragmatical cats, fanatical cats

Oratorical cats, delphioracle cats

Skeptical cats, dispeptical cats

Romantical cats, pedantical cats

Critical cats, parasitical cats

Allegorical cats, metaphorical cats

Statistical cats and mystical cats

Political cats, hypocritical cats

Clerical cats, hysterical cats

Cynical cats, rabbinical cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle bells that Jellicles ring

Jellicle sharps and Jellicle flats

Jellicle songs that Jellicles sing

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

Jellicle songs for Jellicle cats

As Kitty softly sang along with her CD, she didn't notice---as Amelia settled down to continue her paperwork---the special look the Captain gave her, her normally stern---yet lovely still---face softening as she smiled fondly at her friend, her sister in all but bloodline. That special, warm smile that lit Amelia's face was due to the fact that, even if her Kitty was an admittedly strange and mysteriously 'special' young woman, Amelia still loved her very much.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The next few weeks Kitty stayed, as much as was possible, with Arrow. She took to ofttimes sitting inside within Amelia's cabin, drawing and singing softly to herself. Amelia thought this strange herself...that Kitty would act this way when it was plainly obvious that she had some rather important secret she wouldn't share with nary a soul. It was if she didn't want anyone else to know about this secret, or perhaps it was just that she was in a very somber, sad mood.

Much to Kitty's dismay, the day she most loathed on her journey toward Treasure Planet arrived. Kitty felt a lump in her throat that she was hard pressed to ignore, knowing what she did. Kitty bravely stayed with both Arrow and Amelia, telling the both of them about how she felt about the crew, when suddenly the whole ship lurched dangerously, heeling over from some unknown cause. Amelia and Arrow, both trained spacers, got immediately to their feet and dashed out on deck.

"What in blazes?" Amelia questioned crossly, seeing chaos and uncertainty on deck. That was when she heard the Doctor gasp, from his position on the bridge, "Good heavens! The star Pellucid...it´s gone supernova!"

Amelia shot Kitty a quick glance of concern, before dashing off, bellowing at the top of her lungs to the helmsman, Turnbuckle, "Bring us about, man! Quickly!" The pale-faced spacer reefed the wheel sharply away from the light pulse and roaring debris field headed toward the ship..

Arrow, a paramount spacer, turned and ran to do his job; to help his Captain save the ship. He dashed past Kitty, tipping his hat hurriedly at her as he whisked past. Kitty who could only sadly watch him... sniffing, a small tear rolling down her smooth cheek.

She heard Arrow bellow to all hands, "Fasten your lifelines!" She quickly fastened the stout rope of her lifeline, then headed up towards her post on the bridge.

Amelia watched in horror as bits of solar debris began to blast holes through their solar sails. Her green eyes large with concern, she boomed to Arrow, "Mr. Arrow! Secure those sails!" They simply had to be furled, before the debris from the new supernova ruined them all, dashing any hopes they might have to escape its fiery influence.

Amelia, who had more things to do than time to do herself, shot a glare at Kitty, about to relay an order to her, when suddenly the bridge was cast in shadow. Amelia found this deucedly odd, and looked up. It was then that she gazed in mute horror at the huge star chard---a piece of Pellucid that was more than ten-fold times the size of her Legacy---loom sickeningly closer to her beloved ship! Amelia stared defiantly at the huge piece of stellar flotsam, cursing it and its timing, when...amazingly enough, it began to slowly back away!

Amelia could only lift one auburn eyebrow, curious, before she heard her lookout, Mr. Onus, yell plaintively for her to look at the star. She turned toward it, casting her eyes its way, when she saw Doctor Doppler move up beside and announce, "Captain! It´s devolving! I-Into a...black hole!"

Turnbuckle, the eight limbed helmsman, was having a definite problem with holding the ship's wheel steady, and cried out, "We´re being pulled in!" Then, he was thrown away from the now rapidly spinning wheel.

Amelia responded quickly, and grabbed hold of the wheel, pulling it tight with all her strength, saying stubbornly, "Oh no you don´t!" The Legacy remained on course.

An blast wave washed over the Legasy then, causing both Kitty and Amelia to thrown back tumbling on the bridge. Amelia quickly regained her feet, complaining aloud, "Blast these waves! They're so deucedly erratic!"

Delbert, standing before the bridge instrument panels, turned and bellowed over to Amelia, "No, Captain...they´re not erratic at all!" He then shouted again, adding, "There´ll be one more in precisely forty-seven point two seconds, followed by the biggest megilla of them all!"

Something clicked just then in Amelia's mind, and her green eyes became huge with glee. "That's it! Of course," Amelia cried ebulliently. "Brilliant, Doctor! We´ll _ride_ that last megilla out of here!"

Arrow, satisfied that the spacers had finally reefed the solar sails properly, turned and shouted up to Amelia and Kitty, "All sails secured, Captain!"

"Good man," Amelia congratulated him, then directed an excited gaze at him. "Now, release them _immediately_!"

Arrow looked perplexed, giving Kitty a look of confusion. Kitty just nodded in the affirmative at the willing, but still bewildered Arrow. Kitty knew it was the only chance they had to sail clear of this catastrophe. The weary spacers complained in response to the order, but two indentical glares from both Kitty and Amelia forced the issue, and up they went into the rigging again.

Kitty watched warily as Amelia shouted to Jim to check the crew's lifelines were 'good and tight' before she returned to concentrating upon their course.

"Lifelines secured, Captain!" Jim bellowed back to her.

"Very good!" she yelled back, congratulating the youth.

Kitty smiled then...just before she looked up to see Arrow loose his grip on the sail. As he came to the end of his lifeline, Kitty had to suppress the urge to blot the evil Scroop into nothing, turning away sharply as the villian cut the Arrow's line, ensuring Arrow's death. Kitty's bright blue eyes gleamed from her tears and her rage.

She brushed away her tears, heard Delbert yell, "The last wave...here it comes!" Kitty grabbed hold of the sturdy mizzen mast, pressing her face into the comforting solid wood of the mast. She then heard Amelia telling everyone to hold on to their lifelines, it was going to be a bumpy ride.

The light on the deck faded into darkness as the Legacy entered the event horizon of the black hole that once was Pellucid. Just when Kitty began to wonder if all was lost, she felt the terrible thrust of the ship's powerful engines essentially slingshot them free of the crushing danger of the blossoming black hole.

Once again in the more placid Etherium, the weary but relieved spacers gave their Captain a rousing chorus of cheering. Kitty could only hold on to the mizzen mast and cry softly at Arrow's loss. She couldn't believe the warm genial man was really gone...even though she had seen him perish. She heard the cheering die off, and then swallowed hard as she heard Amelia ask for Arrow. Kitty blotted out her pain, focusing on her anger in hearing Scroop walk up towards Amelia clutching Arrow's hat.

Kitty could only just stand there mutely, as Amelia filed past her woodenly, looking all the while like she had just gotten out of a cupboard. Kitty cringed inwardly as Amelia cast a meaningful glance towards Kitty, her now stunned eyes pleading with her. How could this happen? she seemed to say. With all your magic, why couldn't you keep him alive?

Kitty felt for her friend---her grief for Arrow was bad enough, and she'd only known him for a short while, unlike Amelia, who had known him nearly her entire life---but could only shrug her shoulders, wipe her tears, and send her a look saying , I couldn't change anything. Whatever was meant to be, had to be.

Amelia blinked repeatedly, willing away the tears she could not afford to shed. She hung her head, willed her expression back to impassive once more, and said the words that had to be said for her lost friend. After that, she turned on her heel and walked in a daze back to the comfort and privacy of her stateroom.

Kitty released her hold of the mast, dried her eyes, and then headed deliberately toward the saddened Delbert, who was headed towards his cabin once more. "Doctor? Might I have a word with you?" she said after him.

The kindly canid turned around, and smiled a sad smile. "Ah, hello there, Ms. Petro," he said rather glumly. "I´m dreadfully sorry about your Mr. Arrow." The Doctor's warm, compassionate brown eyes made Kitty's heart ache.

"Yeah," Kitty managed to get out roughly, swallowing hard. "Ahem, yes. Listen, could I beg a favor of you?"

"Of course. You need only ask," he responded, which made Kitty smile.

"Could you please talk with the Captain. I mean, Amelia. She might not look like it, Doctor...but she could really use someone to help her. And, frankly, just now, I don´t think that I'm that someone."

Delbert thought about her request. But, after a moment or two of indecision, his big heart responded. "Very well, I shall do it, Delbert said, squared his shoulders, and moved toward Amelia's stateroom.

"Oh, and Doctor?" Kitty said after him.

"Yes?" he said over his shoulder.

"Please don´t tell her who sent you, could you?" Kitty said, before heading down to deck. Delbert nodded to her, and continued on toward the grieving Captain's stateroom. Kitty, once on the main deck again, saw Silver and Jim talking to one another. She knew what was going on---better than most---and knew better than to interupt them. To get her mind on something else, she sighed and starting to softly sing:

We were strangers

Starting out on a journey

Never dreaming

What we'd have to go through

Now here we are

And I'm suddenly standing

At the beginning with you

No one told me

I was going to find you

Unexpected

What you did to my heart

When I lost hope

You were there to remind me

This is the start

Life is a road

And I want to keep going

Love is a river

I wanna keep flowing

Life is a road

Now and forever

Wonderful journey

I'll be there

When the world stops turning

I'll be there

When the storm is through

In the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning with you

We were strangers

On a crazy adventure

Never dreaming

How our dreams would come true

Now here we stand

Unafraid of the future

At the beginning with you

Life is a road

And I want to keep going

Love is a river

I wanna keep flowing

Life is a road

Now and forever

Wonderful journey

I'll be there

When the world stops turning

I'll be there

When the storm is through

In the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning with you

I knew there was somebody somewhere

Like me alone in the dark

Now I know my dream will live on

I've been waiting so long

Nothing's gonna tear us apart

Life is a road

And I want to keep going

Love is a river

I wanna keep flowing

Life is a road

Now and forever

Wonderful journey

I'll be there

When the world stops turning

I'll be there

When the storm is through

In the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning with you

Life is a road and I wanna keep going

Love is a river I wanna keep going on....

Starting out on a journey

Life is a road and I wanna going

Love is river I wanna keep flowing

In the end I wanna be standing

At the beginning with you.

She finished, then sighed again. As she looked up she spotted the villianous Scroop. She had to take a deep breath to calm herself, so that she wouldn't do something precipitous...like killing the wretch. She saw Silver take his leave of Jim, and amble away. Kitty decided to take her mind off of her desire to slay Scroop, and went over to talk with Jim.

"Hello ther, Jim," she greeted the youth.

"Hey," he said, not even looking her in the fact.

Kitty sighed, and move beside him, leaning against the railing. That was when Jim said, "You must hate me now, don´t you?"

Kitty was a bit surprised, and said so. "No, I don't hate you, Jim," Kitty said.

Jim appeared unconvinced. "Hmm. I don't see why not," Jim stated dully. "After all, my bungling killed the Captain and your best friend."

Kitty sympathiszed. "You're wrong, actually. You didn't," Kitty said bluntly, but then softened that with a smile. "I saw everything that happened. It was that wretch Scroop that severed Arrow's lifeline, not your knots. You had nothing at all to do with it."

Jim looked up, glancing over into her eyes, and saw a profound sadness. Kitty saw his sympathy, and had to look away. It was then that she saw Delbert coming out of Amelia's cabin. She took her leave of Jim just then, and headed off to speak with Delbert.

The Doctor looked tired...yet, there was something else in his expression when he looked into Kitty's eyes. "She´s fast asleep, poor thing," he told her. "She's having a hard time with things just now, my dear."

"Trust me, Doctor...I know," Kitty said.

Delbert gasped softly, realizing that Kitty was suffering too. "Oh dear, I do apologize, Ms. Petro," he told her with heartfelt compassion in his soft voice. Kitty bit her lower lip so as to not break down and cry again. She cleared her throat, and took her leave of the good Doctor. "Well, Doctor...I bid you a good night."

"Yes, good night, Ms. Petro," he said, then impulsively reached out a hand to pat her shoulder gently. "Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

Kitty nodded, her eyes glistening with tears again, and made her way hurriedly inside the quarters she shared with Amelia. She scarely could believe her eyes, the normally pristine room was in shambles. Kitty decided to be kind, snapped her fingers once, and in the blink of an eye, everything was sparkling and ship-shape once again.

It was then that her emotions caught up with her, and she wept anew for poor Arrow...as well as for Amelia, who'd just lost her best friend, mentor, and the nearest thing she had had for a father figure. Kitty quickly regained control of herself, and yawned. She needed sleep...rather badly. She crept inside her and Amelia's sleeping quarters, and saw Amelia curled up, sleeping fitfully. Kitty sat down beside her friend, and felt her heart lurch, as even in her dreams, Amelia was softly crying. Crystal clear tears rolled down on her friend's cheeks, and Amelia sniffled and whimpered in her sleep.

Kitty just sighed, changed into her night clothes, then laid down beside Amelia, and put a comforting arm about her poor friend, and eventually fell sound asleep...


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The next day, when Amelia awoke, she felt Kitty´s arm around her. It was that moment that suddenly she remembered everything that had occured the previous day.

She remembered when Kitty had said many years ago. "Well, I suppose that now all I have to be afraid of is pirates and supernovas."

"Supernova?" Amelia had asked. "How did you come to know about those, Kitty? Were you studying astrophysics on your own home world?"

"No, It's just that in that movie I'm always telling you about, the Legacy gets caught in the blast of a new supernova. Well...that was before it exploded and transformed into a black hole, I guess..."

Amelia remembered getting bit wild-eyed at that, and that was when Kitty had realised she'd probably said too much. "Whoops! Sorry 'bout that. Can´t really say any more," she had said apologetically,"Hey, look, Amelia...the story goes as it goes, and I´m not changing everything about to let you get prepared for it, okay? It would ruin the whole ending of the story, trust me."

She had known all along, Amelia thought to herself. She then got up out of bed, and gently woke Kitty. "Good morning, sleepyhead," Amelia greeted with a fond smile.

"Hello, Amelia," Kitty replied in nearly a whisper. Kitty got out of bed, looked down at herself, snapped her fingers, and suddenly she wearing her usual attire.

Amelia looked over Kitty, then sat down, beckoning her to do the same. Once Kitty sat, she said, "You knew that he was going to die all along, didn't you?"

Kitty looked back into her green eyes. "I'm so sorry, Amelia. But, I can´t change the story...I just can't."

Amelia closed her eyes, and swallowed hard. Kitty put her hand over Amelia's, smiling gently at her. "But, if it will make you feel any better, I fully intend to get him back for you sometime after our adventure."

"You can?" Amelia blurted in amazement, her eyes snapping open. "Just how long after?" Amelia asked.

Kitty shook her head, smiling. "If I told you that, then it wouldn't be a surprise," Kitty said impishly.

Amelia smiled for the first time since Arrow´s death. Kitty hugged Amelia for a long while, then helped her dress. After that, both girls properly attired, made their way out of the stateroom.

Once there, Kitty saw Amelia's eyes go wide suddenly, seeing the spotless condition of her stateroom. Kitty grinned, "I guess I decided to help you out a bit." The two then made their way to their positions on the bridge, and got to work.

It was then that Kitty spotted Delbert gazing out into the Etherium at the main deck rail. "Oh, by the way," she said cleverly. "Am I wrong, but didn't I see Doctor Doppler coming out from your stateroom yesterday?" She smiled, being the rogue she was, raising a blonde eyebrow.

Amelia promptly blushed, and looked away a moment. "Um, you see, he was just wondering how I was feeling," Amelia mumbled to her. "It was all done very gentlemenly, you understand..."

Kitty grinned impishly again. "You are so in love with him," Kitty declared, chuckling.

"You watch yourself, young lady," Amelia cautioned. "Please do remember that aboard ship the walls have ears." She gestured with a jerk of her chin toward Turnbuckle.

Delbert saw the two felinid officers, and wandered his way up to them. "Good morning, Captain. Ms. Petro," he said, bowing his head to each in their turn.

"Good morning, Doctor," Amelia said, giving him the benefit of small shy smile.

"I just wondered how you were feeling," Delbert asked solicitiously, his brown eyes just the slightest bit worried. Both Kitty and Amelia were charmed.

"Oh, never fear, Doctor, both Kitty and I shall be just fine," Amelia reassured the man, smiling. Their special moment was broken, when all three of them werer forced to look up as Mr. Onus yelled "Planet Ho!"

It was then that they all saw Treasure Planet for the first time. Both Delbert and Amelia watched the sight in awe, but surprisingly enough, Kitty scowled. "All right, you with me...now," she commanded, and dragged the both of them inside Amelia's stateroom. The two followed Kitty, both gazing at the young woman with puzzled looks on their faces. "Trust me, it's for your own good. You´ll see," Kitty said. "Oh, and Amelia, one thing..."

"Yes, Ms. Petro?" Amelia said, curious.

"Try not to be so hard on Jim. It wasn't his fault that Arrow died. That you can thank Mr Scroop for, who cut his lifeline. Trust me, I saw the whole thing," Kitty informed them, then looked down, as a little tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, as both Amelia and Delbert looked like they woud give her a hug right there and then, and she frankly, she didn't have time for that just now. She could get all sentimental later.

It was then that Jim burst inside, panting, obviously excited. Amelia and Delbert exchanged a look, both raising their eyebrows. Jim (still panting) managed to blurt out, "Doc, Ma'am...the crew, well, they're pirates! And they're going to mutiny right NOW!"

At that, Amelia murmured something that sounded like 'I knew it!' as she headed over to her weapons locker with determination. "Pirates on my ship?" Amelia declared in ire. "I´ll see them all hang!" She retrieved a laser flintlock from her locker and tossed it butt-first to the clearly astonished Delbert. "Doctor, familiar with these?" she asked, without even looking.

Kitty suddenly realized precisely where she was standing, and jumped away quickly, as soon as Delbert responded most hesitantly. Suddenly the globe behind where Kitty was only moments before exploded from an errant laser burst. Kitty just heard the Doctor's most sheepish, "No, I´m not."

Kitty knew what was happening next, so she whispered something, and was suddenly heavily armed as she dared to be. Amelia removed the map and threw it toward Jim Hawkins. "Mr. Hawkins...kindly guard that with your life," she instructed, her ears angling back in anger as the pirates began to shower the armored door trying to get in to them.

While Amelia hefted a rather nasty-looking laser musket, Kitty used her own to make a crude hole in the deck, allowing them a get-away. She dashed through the hole, followed by Amelia, then Jim and finally Delbert. They ran towards the longboat bays that were located below deck amidship. Once there, Kitty leapt up into the boat, then helped Delbert and Jim up, as Amelia worked the handle to open the bay doors. She looked down and saw the surface of Treasure Planet lighten the inside the bay. Amelia, once she was certain the door was working, perform an acrobatic jump into the longboat. Kitty caught a glance out of the corner of her eye of Morph, who had taken the map from Jim's pocket, and took to flight, wanting to play.

As Jim struggled to retrieve the map---and Morph---an all-out shoot-out began. Amelia kept the pirates honest, and even Delbert contributed. His well-placed shot quickly dispatched four pirates to their doom, much impressing Amelia. Later, Kitty couldn't remember all the details, but she did remember Jim hopping into the boat---map in hand, or so he thought!---and Amelia shouting "NOW!". Both her and Delbert's shots severed the lines holding the longboat in its bay, and the boat plummeted precipitiously out into the atmosphere of Treasure Planet. Amelia quickly started the longboat's engine, and they began to fly an erratic course away from the mutineered Legacy. It was then that Kitty heard the crack of the Legacy's laser cannon, and called out, "Laserball at 12 o´clock Captain!" Kitty watched in mute horror and fascination as Amelia attempted to maneuver away from the projectile. However, unfortunately, the laserball hit them dead-on, destroying their engine and solar sail, causing them to hurtle---barely in control--- toward the ground. Kitty knew that this was going to hurt...


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

_The mortally wounded longboat plummeted down, barely in control, toward the surface of Treasure Planet at high speed. Kitty clung desperately---as did both the Doctor and Jim---to the gunwales, as the injured Amelia bravely piloted the stricken longboat down. But, despite her best efforts---which were considerable indeed---the ruined craft finally crashed down, hard and painfully, to bounce and finally grind to a halt, upside-down. _

_Kitty groaned from inside the longboat's hull, and heard both Jim and Delbert groan and move, which was a good thing. Then she heard Amelia grunting in pain, her breathing a bit strained. It was obvious that, despite her injuries, it was her claustrophobia kicking in. Kitty, along with both Jim and Delbert's assistance, rolled longboat over off of them all. _

_Amelia sighed once in relief, but otherwise just sat still. Kitty did a quick check on her own condition, and she seemed to be in good shape. _

"_Oh my goodness," Delbert said, just a bit wearily. "That was more fun than I ever want to have again." _

_Kitty grinned at the Doctor's attempt to cheer them, but then looked over toward Amelia who was chuckling quietly. She looked back at them all, glad to see that everyone seemed to be no worse for wear. "Not one of my gossamer landings," she declared to all and sundry as she tried to get to her feet. However, that idea was soon quashed, as Amelia clapped a hurried hand to her ribcage, and hissed softly in obvious pain. _

"_Captain!" Delbert yelped in distress, and got over to her side at once. With both Jim and Delbert's assistance, Amelia got to her feet, where she seemed a bit woozy still. She could see all the concerned expressions on her companions' faces, and snorted. "Oh, don´t fuss," she said non-chalantly, then proceeded to almost faint, being forced to lean toward the much concerned Doctor for support. "Just a slight bruising, that´s all," she said, trying to reassure them all. "A cup of tea and I´ll be right as rain." _

_Kitty snorted at that. "Yeah right," Kitty declared._

_Amelia, her legs trembling from the effort to stay erect, turned and frowned at her Second Officer. "What was that, Kitty?" Amelia asked. _

"_Beg your pardon, Ma'am, but the last time you said that, you had just stopped hyperventilating," Kitty reminded her. _

_Amelia's scowl deepened at that, then she turned her attention to her male counterparts again. "Mr. Hawkins,"she ordered brusquely, turning to Delbert, frowning in confusion. She then realised just who it was before her, and corrected her error. "The map... if you please," she said, now looking towards Jim. _

_Jim reached into his pocket, and retrieved the bronze sphere... and they all gasped in surprise as it promptly turned into Morph. "Morph!" Jim exclaimed in irritation before continuing. "Morph... where´s the map?" _

_The amorphorous pink blob turned itself into the map then portrayed itself jumping into a stack of coiled line. _

"_Are you serious?" Jim blurted out incredulously, clearly annoyed. "It´s back on the ship?" _

"_Bloody wonderful," Amelia grumbled before her ears perked up. Kitty's sensitive felinid ears caught the sound too. "Stifle that blob, and get low. We´ve got company," Amelia declared, Kitty nodding in agreement. The Legacy's other longboat---with the pirates aboard---drifted by their position, clarly looking for some sign of them, no doubt. Amelia waited a moment, then eased her head up over the hull, watching the longboat move further away, scowling. "We need a more defensible position," Amelia declared, Captain once more. She removed a laser pistol from her belt, and turned and handed the weapon to Jim. "Mr. Hawkins, scout ahead." _

"_I´ll join him, if you don't mind, Captain," Kitty added. Amelia nodded in encouragement, before falling to her knees, gaspin in pain again. _

"_Steady, steady," Delbert said soothingly, his eyes voicing his concerns about Amelia. He carefully helped Amelia down to sit, leaning against the ruined hull of the longboat. Once Amelia had recovered, he added, "Now... let´s have a look at that." _

_Leaving the Captain in the Doctor's capable hands, Kitty and Jim started walking out into the jungle. "So," Jim asked after a while. "What´s up with you, Ma'am?" _

"_What do you mean, Jim?" Kitty asked, intentionally being more casual. _

"_You're always so nice to me, without any reason to be," Jim told her. _

"_Well, of course," Kitty replied. "That's because when I look at you, Jim, I can see a lot of myself. You do remember what I told you of my family, Jim, right?" _

"_Well, yeah, you have told me about them," Jim conceded. "But, I'm different... I mean, my mom loves me." _

"_Uh-huh. And you repay that love by breaking the law then?" Kitty asked, a bit bluntly. _

_Jim sighed, and winced, looking away from Kitty, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. _

_Kitty pressed her argument. "Look, Jim... if you put your mind and heart into it, you could become the Captain of your own ship one day. Just like you've always wanted..." Kitty then stopped talking, one ear angling sharply to the right. Jim stopped, realizing that Kitty had heard a sound from somewhere behind them._

_They were then both set upon by the boisterous, amiable antique Bio-Electric Navigator, better known as BEN. Kitty, personally couldn't stand the copper sheathed automaton... but Jim seemed to like him. Kitty shrugged as the talkative construct led them to his "home". Kitty had to admit one good thing about him was that he provided a place to recuperate and defend. Once both Jim and Kitty looked the place over, they all headed back to collect Delbert and Amelia. _

_Once within earshot, Kitty heard Amelia and the Doctor talking to one another. Kitty stifled a giggle when she heard Amelia say something that sounded like "charming". No doubt, Amelia had most probably not gotten used to being the weakest link of their group. _

_Kitty moved over beside Jim and BEN to make their report to the still woozy Captain. "It appears, Captain, that BEN here has a place where we can hold up and hide just a kilometer away from here," Kitty told her. _

"_Splendid! Good work, the both of you," Amelia said, and then tried to get to her feet again. She stood unsteadily for awhile, until her knees gave way, and she collapsed again into the waiting Doctor's arms. _

"_Captain. It's obvious that you cannot walk in your condition," Delbert informed her politely, his brown eyes ever concerned for her welfare. _

"_You sure got that one right, Doc. She's much too weak Kitty said. _

_That got a rise out of Amelia in a hurry. "Oh, really," Amelia countered, her green eyes hard with anger. "What then? Do you intend to just leave me here?" _

"_Get real, Captain. Of course we're not," Kitty said. She then grinned evilly, flicked her eyes to Delbert, then looked back to Amelia. Amelia's face paled in understanding. "Oh, Doctor?" Kitty nearly sang, turning amiably toward Delbert. _

"_Yes, Ms. Petro?" he answered, so gullible it was charming. _

"_Um, you look like a strapping man. Um, exactly how much do you think you could carry?" Kitty questioned, ignoring Amelia's clandestine attempts to shush her. _

"_Um, well," he began, trying to figure out his answer. _

"_Well, there's no time to dilly dally," Kitty declared suddenly. "It's the only solution. Doctor, I am ordering you to carry the Captain to our new home away from home." _

_Delbert might not be the quickest fellow, but even he caught on. "Yes, Ma'am," he complied. _

"_Ms. Petro, I'm afraid I'm going to countermand that order. I outrank you, I'm afraid," Amelia informed her, her lips thin in anger. _

_Kitty turned back toward her, hands on her hips. "Oh? Perhaps I should remind our Captain that it is the duty of any officer to relieve a Captain of duty if they feel that he or she is incapable of fulfilling that obligation. So, with all due respect and admiration, Amelia... do shut up." _

_Amelia opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off as Delbert gently---almost reverently---scooped the lithe young Captain up in his arms. "Doctor?" Amelia growled. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" She fairly bristled with indignation._

"_It's called carrying, Captain," Delbert remarked, making Kitty laugh. "Besides... I'm simply following orders." Jim looked away, grinning._

"_Most amusing, Doctor," Amelia grumbled. "Oh bother," she finally muttered with resignation, finally resting her head against Delbert's shoulder as he carried her, as they all started to walk towards BEN´s house._


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

_Nearly a half an hour later, they still were not even half-way toward BEN´s domicile. Kitty smiled as she walked beside Delbert, noticed how Amelia would now and again cast shy, warm glances Delbert's way---when she thought Kitty wasn't looking, of course. Kitty decided to hold her tongue for once, and moved up to walk beside Jim, so as to allow Delbert to be more comfortable carrying Amelia. Kitty, concerned that the bookish Doctor might be growing tired, asked if he needed a rest._

"_No, no," he assured her, with an odd, happy smile. "The Captain is no bother, Kitty, I assure you." Kitty smiled and nodded her head, her grin growing when she caught the irate look Amelia cast her way._

_Once what BEN fancied a home hove into view, Kitty and Jim led the way into the crude, yet suitable dwelling. "What a dump," Kitty mumbled under her breath at the precise moment that BEN began excusing the mess of his home. _

_The talkative droid went on and on, nattering away. Kitty endured, though she did have to smile when BEN called Amelia and Delbert 'a cute couple'. _

"_See? I´m not the only one that see it, Captain," Kitty whispered for Amelia's benefit as Delbert gently laid her down upon the mossy 'floor' of their new hideaway. Amelia's condition had steadily worsened as the journey continued, so she was only able to glare her way in response. That glare became an oddly lovely smile, when---after BEN offered the two what looked like beakers of motor oil to toast them---Delbert remarked in embarrassment, "Ooh...uh, oh, no, thank you. We don't drink..." He looked down to the wounded Captain, giving what he sincerely hoped was a comforting and encouraging smile, before he added, "...and we're, uh, we're not a couple." _

_Amelia's fond gaze at the Doctor was transformed into a glare again, as Kitty coughed the word "yet". Jim, becoming used to the verbal sparing of the two female felinids, just smiled and continued watching for any signs of activity outside. _

_That was when Delbert noticed the hieroglyphs on the wall, and began an impromptu lecture about these markings. Amelia, in a moment of lucidness, ordered Jim and Kitty to keep close watch, and fend off anyone coming toward their current location. Unfortunately, the effort to bark those commands left her groaning in pain. _

_Delbert, very concerned about the weakening Captain, showed his true metal, and gently forced her to lie back, softly scolding her. "Yes, Yes," he told her gently, but his expression told her he'd brook no further argument from her. "Now, listen to me: stop giving orders for a few milliseconds... and lie still." Amelia opened her mouth to protest, but one look into the Doctor's warm concerned brown eyes, stifled whatever protest she might of had, and caused her to smile gently at the man. _

_Kitty was touched by the display of tender emotion from Amelia, but that scene was shattered as that nitwit BEN caught sight of figures outside, and in his own form of perverse logic, decided they must be friends of theirs. The idiotic robot began hooting and hollering, "showing" the pirates just where their quarry might be. The pirates---hardly the most cerebral of folks, well, for the most part---promptly opened fire on their position. _

_Jim and Kitty returned their fire, causing several of the pirates to dive for shelter, before Silver yelled for them to 'quit wastin' yer fire!'. The lumbering ursinid cyborg then held up a white flag, waving it to get their attention. "Jimbo," Silver called in his booming voice. "If it's all right wit' the Captain, I´d like a short word wit' yeh..." _

_Amelia, fighting off the delerium she was experiencing more and more now, scowled at that, but was kindly shushed by the Doctor. Silver continued, "No tricks, just a little palaver." _

_Amelia growled quietly and dangerously, her green eyes flinty, before saying, "Come to bargain for the map, doubtless." She hated that she felt as weak as a kit, and vainly trying to get up into a sitting position "Pestilential..." she growled heatedly, before groaning in pain. Delbert was by her side in a moment, gently easing her back to lie down. "Captain..." Delbert warned her, very afraid that her efforts would only worsen her already tenuous condition further. _

_Oddly enough, at that moment, Jim grinned. Kitty was about remark on that, when Jim said, "That means that he thinks we still have the map." The youth grinned, and told them he was going to meet with Silver. Delbert looked like he wanted to protest, but Jim was gone before he could voice it. He moved away from the two girls, watching to make sure Jim would be all right. _

_Alone together, for the moment, Amelia grinned and told Kitty, "Well, this has been some fun, what?" _

"_Oh, you bet, Amelia. Way fun," Kitty replied, shaking her head._

"_Now, Kitty...let me see if I've got this straight. You knew---all along, I have no doubt---that all **this** would happen, and still would not even give me the benefit of some sort of warning or bit of council," Amelia accused. _

_Kitty wilted under her gaze. "Amelia, I've told you before: I can´t change the story. Period," Kitty simply said. She then place the palm of her hand to Amelia cheek in fond affection. "Now, do be a dear, and be still. You need to rest." _

"_Yes, Doctor," Amelia teased. Kitty snapped her fingers, and a wet facecloth appeared, which she laid over Amelia's forehead, causing her to sigh in relief. Kitty could feel the heat of her poor friend's cheek and forehead. Amelia was developing a fever... which sort of made sense, and explained her fits of sometimes weird---at least for her---behavior. _

_Kitty smiled as Amelia closed her eyes to relax, and saw Jim vaulting back through the circular entrance to the cave-like dwelling they rested within. "Well?" Kitty asked, urging him to elaborate. _

"_Hush," Jim chided her, his brow furrowed in obvious concentration. "I´m trying to figure out how to get us all out of this alive, okay?" _

_Kitty bit back a curt reply, and settled on sighing once, and nodding her agreement. She knew he could use---and probably needed---every little bit of free time he coud lay his hands on right this moment. _

_Amelia was lying still, drowsing from her exhaustion and fever. Kitty smiled down once at her before she kissed Amelia's cheek fondly, letting her go off into what she hoped was a peaceful sleep. Kitty looked up just then to see Delbert standing there, his soulful eyes troubled, yet a kind and peaceful sort of smile on his face._

"_Don't worry, Doctor," Kitty counseled, getting to her feet. "She's tough as old oak, she'll be fine." The Doctor didn't look all that much convinced, however._

"_I do hope you're right, Ms. Petro," Delbert replied, as he eased down to his knees beside the resting Amelia. "It pains me to see her so," he added quietly, then blushed as he realized what he had just said._

_Kitty smiled warmly, and laid a hand on his arm. "I know," she soothed. "And, it's Kitty. Ms. Petro was my mother, Doctor," she added, trying to lighten the Doctor's mood._

_Delbert chuckled at that softly, and looked over at Kity with one of his shaggy brown brows arched. "Kitty then. And... thank you," Delbert said sincerely. So sincerely, that Kitty found herself blushing again._

"_Could I impose upon you to stay with her, Doctor?" Kitty asked, knowing that Delbert would stay anyway. "I probably should be helping Jim..."_

_Delbert smiled, and sat up a bit straighter. "Yes. And it's no imposition, Ms. Pet---er, I mean, Kitty. It would be my honor to look after the Captain."_

"_Then, I'll be off," Kitty announced getting to her feet. She turned to the Doctor, and gave him the benefit of her smile. "It helps to know that she's in good hands, Doctor..."_

_Delbert smiled his thanks, and unknowningly picked up Amelia's free hand in his own, a way of letting her know she was not alone._


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

A long time past without Jim figuring out anything, trying Kitty's patience to no end. The only good thing that happened during that time was that Amelia finally woke up. Upon seeing her awake, Delbert sighed with audible relief, noticing that her fever appeared to have broken...or at least, abated a bit. Amelia still was in pain, which was plainly visible from time to time in her facial expressions. Kitty, who had the foresight to know that her friend was going to be fine, still had to shed a tear at seeing her friend being forced to endure such pain. Delbert, who had no such foreknowledge, fretted and fussed.

Amelia, feeling a bit better, was concerned by Kitty and Delbert's glum faces. Ever the Captain, she attempted---in her own way---to rally her companions. Putting on her best Captain persona, she tried a speech. "Gentlemen and lady," she began, though a bit woozily. "We must... stay together, and... and... oh."

Delbert was initially relieved, but then became a bit frantic when Amelia faltered from her efforts. He hung upon her every word, and panicked a bit, prompting her to continue, "And what? We must stay together... and what?"

Amelia, in her weakened and wounded condition, was thinking none too sharply. Her mind flitted from one train of thought to another. For one moment, the Captain's defenses were down, and she spoke---not as Captain, but as the young woman she was. She looked up into the overly concerned, yet (she admitted to herself) soulful brown eyes of the Doctor, she remarked, "Doctor, you have... wonderful eyes."

Delbert was taken aback by her statement, Amelia just sighed blissfully, and Kitty softly chuckled at the both of their antics. She shook her head, thinking I am going to replay that moment to Amelia again and again and again... until she gives up being so stubborn, and tells me I was right.

Unaware of what was going on between the three adults, Jim was becoming flustered. Watching his new best friend, BEN decided that what Jim probably needed was some rest and some air---which he claimed, always helped him. BEN moved over to a moss-covered, rusty half-sphere in the floor and rotated it open to allow a rush of fresh air and light to stream into the room. Jim frowned with irritation at the overly talkative droid, but then had an epiphany of sorts. Coming to his own conclusion, Jim turned to the obviously distracted Delbert, informing him---as well as Kitty, that he had come up with a way to retrieve the map. Without much further ado, Jim---followed by BEN---impulsively jumped down this 'backdoor' of BEN's.

Kitty, knowing precisely what the young man was up to, decided to follow along, and jumped right after Jim, after giving Delbert her best reasuring smile. "See you later," she quipped in her most charming yet roguish manner, and---poof!---she was gone from sight, leaving Delbert and the wounded Amelia to their own devices.

Kitty tagged along, helping Jim pilot them all up to where the Legacy stood in orbit about Treasure Planet. The brief flight so enlivened Kitty that she decided to be kind to Jim and help the poor guy out. "So, Mr. Hawkins... what do we do now?"

Jim softly bit his lower lip, thinking. "Well," he ventured. "Um, I´ll go get the map, while BEN and you---"

BEN, upon hearing his name, dashed haphazardly into motion. "Yes sir! I´ll demobilise the laser canons, Captain Jimmy SIIIIR!" the gangly robot announced, then saluted smartly, inadvertantly splicing an irate Morph with his metal hand in the process. He then lowered himself down on to his wheeled combination legs/undercarriage, and zipped off in search of the Legacy's wiring cabinet. Kitty sighed, shaking her head in commiseration with a furious Jim Hawkins. "Go on, get the map, Jim. I´ll go after him."

Jim nodded his thanks, and disappeared with Morph in tow.

Kitty---knowing as she did how things were going to pan out---briefly thought badly of herself, leaving Jim alone to deal with Scroop. A small voice in her conscience warred with her own inner demon, which told her to find the wretched bug and carve his exoskeleton off---piece at a time---causing him so much pain that he´d wish he was the one who had died in that supernova.

She decided finally to follow BEN---which was ridiculously easy, seeing how the blathering automaton was singing a rowdy sea chanty---when suddenly the ship's alarm blared dolefully. "Bloody hell! What in blazes is that imbelic excuse for a trash can up to?" Kitty growled, dashing toward the howl of the alarm. She was nearly there when the ship's lights abruptly cut out. Kitty scowled, as even with her sensitive felinid eyes, it was difficult to see. But, determined to stop the well-meaning, yet disaster-waiting-to-happen BEN, she continued walking fast as she could toward the wiring room. She was nearly there when...the gravity abated, causing her to float away. She floated up the stair well, then athletically pushed her way over to get a firm hold on the mast. There she caught a glimpse of something that warmed the cockles of her heart. She heard Scroop's cry of terror and despair---as she saw him spiral off into the bosom of the Etherium. "Good riddance to bad rubbish," Kitty said with feeling.

She was enjoying Scroop's demise so much, she nearly jumped out of her skin when BEN appeared right next to her, proclaiming the laser cannons disabled. Kitty knew she should of felt sorry for the smoking and dishelved BEN, but well, she was still irked by his startling her. "Try that again, tin britches, and I'll turn you off... permanently!" she growled. BEN backpedaled warily away from the irate felinid.

Once Jim and Morph returned to join them, they embarked in the longboat, and headed back toward where they had left Amelia and the Doctor. Mooring the longboat, Kitty and Jim dashed back inside to break the good news to the two senior members of the party. However, Jim was in for a bit of a shock---Kitty would of been too, but remember, she knew what was going to happen already. "Doc! I got the map," Jim crowed as he ran towards what he thought was Delbert, but was surprised when the figure turned about to reveal the cyborg visage of John Silver. Kitty, realizing resistance was futile just now, just let the pirates apprehend her and tie her hands.

Jim scowled at the smug Silver, as Kitty worked the tight ropes that bound her wrists. Somehow, Silver didn't feel the need to bind the boy. Maybe they thought she would´nt be able to get out of them. She saw with some relief that Amelia and Delbert were being forced to sit still, while the pirates guarded them.

The pirates brusquely sat Kitty down next to Amelia, who simply glared at her, her green eyes wanting her to do something. Kitty formed the words silently, "I. CAN´T. CHANGE. THE. STORY."

Amelia, sitting back to back with the somber and dejected Doppler, sighed once again, realizing what was to be, would be...despite her wishes to the contrary.

Kitty looked over where Silver and Jim were having their argument "You're just like me, Jimbo," Silver was saying. "You hates to lose."

Jim glared at him, but then grinned when Silver was unable to open the map. The frustrated cyborg handed it over to Jim, commanding him to open it. Jim returned the pirate's gaze with a hateful glare that could most likely burn holes through solid steel. Silver frowned, then cocked his flintlock appendage of his cyborg arm and gestuered meaningfully at Jim's companions. Kitty nodded to Jim to follow Silver's directions. Who knows...maybe that was why he decided to comply...but comply he did.

Silver and the pirates grinned in triumph as the ancient map issued streams of green light that showed them the way to the fabled treasure of Captain Flint. Silver, smug once more, commanded, "Tie 'im up, and put 'im with the others."

But before he could say one other word, Jim deactivated the map, stating, "If you want the map, you're taking me too."

Silver chuckled, liking the boy's spunk. "We take 'em all!" he commanded, and the pirates helped them up and forced them all aboard the remaining longboat. On the way, Kitty turned towards a much pleased John Silver.

"You may think you've won, Silver. But, it´s not over yet," Kitty told him, her blue eyes firm and commanding. Then, perhaps to demonstrate to the pirate that all wasn't as peachy as it seemed, the slender young woman, laid the seemingly taught and securely knotted ropes that once bound her hands into Silver's hands, enjoying the pirate's stunned look of disbelief as she stepped over the gunwale to follow Amelia and the others.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

As the trip commenced, Kitty and Jim were put in the bow of the longboat, where Silver could keep an eye on them. Jim couldn't do anything, but Kitty had her magic on her side. Amelia and Delbert were put in the stern of the boat, bound but ungagged now, but faced with Turnbuckle who kept them both covered with an eager laser flintlock.

Soon the party, in their longboat, flew towards their destination, Flint's supposed trove. Silver halted the longboat when the thin, pulsing green line marking the way disappeared behind a tall wall of jungle. The pirate frowned a moment, then undeterred, jumped out, pulling Jim along with him. Kitty, covered by yet another pirate with a laser pistol, jumped out and followed Jim and Silver's crew. She looked over her shoulder at Amelia and Delbert, who looked back at her, their expression worried. She smiled wanly back at them both, trying her best to reassure her friends.

She moved up to stand next to Jim and BEN, and started when Silver selected his cyborg arm's sword appendage to hack open a passage through the jungle foliage toward the treasure. Kitty couldn't help a smile when she saw the pirates' faces fall when the green line abruptly stopped in thin air. There was an ugly moment when Jim couldn't seem to get the map to work, and Kitty wondered if she was going to be forced to use her magic to defend Jim and herself. But, Jim was finally able to puzzle out the mystery of the map---with some inadvertant help from the memory-fogged BEN---summoning some sort of ancient triangular portal of design that all of them viewed with awe. "A big door... opening and closing," Jim mutterd and experimented by pressing a few buttons. The image within the portal shifted with the blink of an eye... again and again in response to Jim's touch. "So that´s how Flint did it! He used this portal to collect treasures..."

"Aye... but where did he stash it all?" Silver growled impatiently, pushing Jim away and trying a few buttons himself. Silver's deteriorating patience only got worse as nothing he selected looked remotely like a treasure trove.

Knowing what had to happen, Kitty decided to help, and acted. "Look... the treasure´s located---like BEN here said---in the centroid of the mechanism," she counseled.

"Bah! More technological mumbo-jumbo," Silver ranted, his cyborg eye glowing redly.

Jim continued. "Maybe not. What if the whole planet is the mechanism... and the treasure´s buried in the center of the planet?"

Kitty had to snort to cover a wry chuckle, as some of the more cerebrally-challenged pirates began to frantically dig through the thin earth into the hard metallic sheath of the planet.

Silver stopped them with an angry growl and a swipe of his bladed cyborg arm. "And how are we supposed to get there then?" Silver goaded Jim and Kitty.

Kitty stepped boldly forward then, taking over as Jim smiled at her, more than willing to let her do the talking. "Look... you just have to open the right door, all right?" she said and touched the glowing image of the three-eyed skull that was Flint's symbol. The portal flickered, then displayed the image all the pirates had dreamt of for so long... mounds and mounds of wealth. Wealth beyond any of their imaginations. Jim, eager as Silver, led the way through, and the remaining pirates dashed without thinking through to Flint's legendary trove.

Kitty---knowing what was to come---was the only one to spot the booby-trap Flint had devised, but decided to wait in telling anyone just yet. She too had to gape as she saw the seemingly boundless heaps of treasure before and around herself. Apparently, even the movie hadn't done the size of the true treasure any justice. Well, she thought to herself, bending down to scoop up gold and gems into her own jacket pockets, I'll find some occasion later where this will be put to some good use. It was then that she spotted a necklace, a thin golden chain with a small pendant shaped like a star carved from blue sapphire. She knew the blue would look just lovely for someone with Amelia's auburn hair, so she quickly clasped it about her neck and tucked it under her shirt. Then she spied a pair of spectacular pair of green earrings. As she slid them into her trouser pocket, she thought, I wonder if I could get Amelia to get her ears pierced? She spotted a necklace of round platinum links sporting red rubies the size of grapes centered within each link, and quickly stashed it away from sight.

It was when she looked up from her plundering, that she saw where Jim and BEN had gotten themselves off to... they were busily at work on what undoubtedly must be the ancient remains of Flint's corsair. Kitty snapped her fingers and teleported up to them on deck. "So, Jim... what are you doing?" she asked cleverly, making Jim jump.

"Sheesh! Don´t do that!" Jim complained, calming himself while giving Kitty a glare.

"Sorry about that," Kitty said, still smiling. "BEN didn't seem to have noticed anything either."

Jim ignored Kitty, his face screwed up in concentration. BEN had a look of confusion on his metallic face. "This is so... well, familiar somehow," he admitted awkwardly. "But, I can´t seem to remember why."

Kitty moved over toward Jim, when she spotted what had to be Flint´s skeletal remains, perched on some long-forgotten throne. In the figure's hand, Kitty saw what had to be BEN´s primary memory module... the android's memories as it were. "Oh, Jim," she called. Jim blinked, and looked up, then came over to her, where she showed him BEN´s memory module.

Jim, once he understood what it was, took it from Kitty, and rushed over to where BEN still stood, looking lost and perplexed. Jim then spied the opening in BEN's head, and told him to stand still.

As the memory board slid back into place, BEN´s memories returned, and well, the robot sort of had a fit of apparent ecstasy. "Jimmy! I was thinking... Jimmy, I was thinking. All my memories are back! Well, right up until Captain Flint yanked my memory circuit so I couldn't tell anyone about the booby trap!"

Even as BEN said that, a tremendous explosion lit and reverberated the treasure chamber. It was sufficiently loud to cause the pirates---deep in their throws of greed---to looked up to where the booby trap had just ignited, and the destruction continued.

BEN blinked sheepishly, then added, "Umm, speaking of which, Flint wanted to make sure no one ever stole his treasure...so he rigged this whole planet to blow higher than an Calypsian kite!"

Kitty had to swallow hard, flinching as the next series of explosions erupted around them all. Jim looked up and told her and BEN that they should head back to the longboat to rescue the Captain and Doctor Doppler. Kitty nodded her head once, knowing just what awaited Jim, and began running toward the portal opening with BEN in tow, to rescue her closest friend Amelia and the Doctor.


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Kitty appeared out of the portal, and ran toward the longboat, determined to rescue her two companions. She smiled, shook her head, and came to a halt as she saw that Amelia and Delbert had everything well in hand. The pirate, Meltdown, was already Delbert's prisoner, as well as the others attempting to escape the planet's upcoming destruction, who meekly surrendered to Amelia, eyeing warily both her laser like green eyes... as well as the laser flintlock in her hand.

Kitty, well aware of just what was happening, dashed past her two justifiably proud friends, nodding, saying, "Sorry, no time to talk. This planet is going to blast itself apart!"

Amelia's green eyes went wide a moment, but then she sat, indicating to the Doctor that he should emulate her. Once everyone---including their prisoners---was aboard and secure, Kitty blasted the longboat off and guided them all up to where the Legacy hovered in geosynchronous orbit about the destabilizing planet. Once aboard, Amelia, Delbert, and BEN headed for the bridge, while Kitty---with pistol in hand, led the prisoners down to the ship's brig where, with the snap of her fingers, the failed mutineers found themselves securely bound in coils of sturdy rope. Finishing her task, Kitty lurched as she felt the ship begin to move. She smiled back at the sullen and downhearted pirates. "See yah, fellas!" she quipped, and departed whistling a happy tune.

She headed for her normal position on the bridge, and was treated to a most amusing sight: Amelia sitting down, patiently trying to instruct Delbert just how to manuever the ship. "Excuse me, you two," she said as she made her way toward them. "But, as the planet is scheduled to explode---most likely killing us all in the process--- do you two think you could quit being so stiff with one another, and call one another by their given names and not Captain and Doctor? Hmm?"

Amelia looked back at Kitty, suprised, blinking her big green eyes. Kitty figured that if Delbert hadn't been so involved in trying to get up to speed on how to use a light ship, he would of worn a very similar expression too. Amelia recovered first, and sighed. "Very well, Kitty," Amelia conceded, and then shocked Kitty when she looked shyly over to Delbert and gave him a warm smile. "But I'm doing this only as it's you doing the asking, you realize."

Kitty smiled, replying, "Oh, of course." Delbert gave the both of them a look as if they were both losing their minds, then relented, and chuckled once softly at them both.

BEN then called out, "Jimmy, off the port bow!" The android followed up his statement with action, pointing one of his long copper-sheathed fingers at the speck growing off to the left front of the Legacy on the surface of the planet.

Delbert, his forehead showing beads of nervous perspiration, piloted the Legacy his very, along with constant council from Amelia. "That's it. Now, your doing fine. Ease her over gently, GENTLY."

Kitty had to smile at the two of them. When the Legacy finally heaved to, and allowed both Jim and Silver aboard, Amelia smartly ordered BEN, "Take us away from here, metal man!"

To which the tickled android responded, "Aye, Captain!"

Once they were under way again, Amelia gazed down at the unlikely duo before her. Sensing her observing them, both Silver and Jim looked up. Jim smiled at the Captain, while Silver tried his very best to squirm out from what most likely would be an extended jail term at best, a hanging---his own!---at worst. "Captain," Silver wheedled with a thankful grin, "yeh dropped from heaven in the nick of---"

Kitty shook her head, while Amelia rolled her eyes, saying, "Save your claptrap for the judge, Silver." Kitty knew how things would turn out, but decided to make Silver sweat a little for all he'd done. As both Kitty and Amelia glared at him, Silver could only just chuckly nervously, his eyes becoming a bit wild.

The journey continued, the Doctor piloting the Legacy, until Kitty saw a shard of the exploding planet arc up to rip through the mizzen sail. BEN began making rapid calculations on some instrument in his hands, as the Legacy's speed fell off and the ship began to sputter. BEN reported the status, "Mizzen sail failed to mobilize, Captain. Thrusters at only thirty percent of capacity!"

Delbert, an avid mathematician, began to think aloud. "Thirty percent? But that means..." he began, only to look over to Amelia, and then added sadly, "We´ll never clear the planet's explosion in time..."

Jim wasn't buying that! He looked desperately about the deck, and a wild scheme hatched in his mind. He could see debris aboard ship that he could---with some effort---transform into a conveyance something like a solar surfer. Brash and bold, the young man jumped down to the main deck, scrambled over to the remains of the now defunct laser cannon, proclaiming, "We gotta turn around!"

Amelia, from her place on the bridge, was thinking madly just how to salvage victory from this debacle facingher, couldn't believe her ears. "What?" she cried in surprise, getting quickly to her feet, holding her arm protectively against her wounded ribcage.

Jim began pulling pieces off the laser cannon, and shook his head in determination, looking back at her. "Look, there´s a portal back there that can get us out of here!"

Delbert frowned, a bit perplexed by Jim's observation. "Pardon me, Jim," he began seemingly calmly, "but doesn't that portal open onto..." It was here that his voice broke in obvious frustration, and he quickly bellowed, "..._ a raging inferno_?"

Jim was nonplussed by the Doctor's vehemence. "Well, yes... but I'm gonna change that. I´m gonna open a different door!" he informed the Doctor. Jim finally freed the laser cannon's breech mechanism, but was having difficulty devising a way to affix it to the long jagged slab of metal he intended to use as a board.

Delbert was flabbergasted by Jim's proposition, saying to Amelia, "I can´t see how that would be possible."

However, luckily for Jim, both Kitty and Silver had the foresight and trust in young Jim Hawkins, and said as much. "Listen to the boy!" Silver bellowed before heading over to help Jim, Kitty following him. As Silver welded the cannon breech to the metal board, Kitty hefted the heavy construct up with ease---with some help from her magic, of course.

Jim looked back at the two of them thankfully. He then turned and looked up to the Doctor and Amelia. "No matter what happens... keep heading straight for the the portal!"

BEN chose that most pregnant moment to bellow, "Fifty-eight seconds to planet destruction!"

Jim nodded one last time to Silver and Kitty and took off with a backblast and whoosh of flame. Both Kitty and Silver then turned toward where Amelia and Delbert were piloting the ship. "Well, you heard him," they both said as one. "Get this blasted heap turned around!"

Amelia frowned, then realizing she had no better idea, sighed and conceded to the overly loud duo. "Doctor," she commanded briskly. "Head us back towards the portal."

Delbert---despite his reservations---was determined to not let Amelia down. Without one complaint, he simply heeled the wheel over, replying, "Aye, Captain."

Needless to say, this was firming up into the most exiting trip aboard the Legacy that Kitty had ever been on... and that would be saying a bit. She had to laugh at Delbert and Amelia, though, as their arguing and banter proved immensely humorous to her.

For example, as a huge shard of the exploding planet loomed into their path, Amelia commanded, "To the right! THE RIGHT!"

The normally reserved Doctor then looked back at her irately and bellowed, "I know, I know! Will you just let me drive?"

Amelia was initially shocked by this response, but then grinned helplessly, quickly stifling a bout of the giggles. Kitty too had to laugh at this outburst from the normally congenial Doctor Doppler. "The way you two argue so, you would think you were married," Kitty observed with a clever little grin.

Amelia smiled at that, and replied, "As much as it pains me to admit it, Kitty... you were right. I've never met a fellow as charming as Delbert Doppler. He is someone I would enjoy knowing a bit better, actually..."

BEN then squealed again, his voice squeaking with fright and desperation, "Ten seconds! Five, four, three, two, one...!" As everyone held their collective breath (well, BEN didn't really breathe per se, but...), they watched in wonder as they slipped through the portal just as Treasure Planet ignited in a most spectacular conflagration. Kitty, BEN, and Silver cheered... heck, even the pirates in the brig cheered with gusto. Morph turned himself into a whole fireworks display, and Delbert and Amelia---in a moment of high emotion---hugged each other warmly, simply glad to be alive. The hug went on for more than either had originally anticipated.

Leave it to Kitty to prove the rogue. "Okay, you two. Do I need to get a hose?" Kitty kidded, which caused both Amelia and Delbert to separate in obvious embarrassment, but while they no longer clung to one another, they still held each other's hands. Kitty decided to mercifully change the subject. "Hey, that's Jim down there!"

All three of them quickly descended to the main deck, where Jim was being ecstatically licked by Morph. Amelia, with an overjoyed Delbert beside her, proclaimed, "Unorthodox... but ludicrously effective. I´d be proud to recommend you to the Interstellar Academy. They could use a man like you."

Then Delbert moved over to seize Jim's hand and shake it over and over. "Just wait until your mother hears about _this_!" he crowed, then composed himself a bit. "Of course, we'll have to downplay the life-threatening parts..." Jim grinned in pride, as Doppler took his place beside Amelia, rather boldly slipping his arm about her in the process.

Kitty chose to ignore this, but her smile said she'd seen. She moved forward to shake Jim's hand as well. "Congratulations, Jim!" she said.

"What? This is all the thanks I get?" Jim argued, pretending to pout, but his chow-eating grin gave away his true feelings.

"Well," Kitty mused out loud. She looked over toward Amelia, her eyes glimting with amusement. Kitty grabbed a most startled Jim, and planted a big kiss on his cheek.

Amelia laughed softly, her green eyes warm with amusement at her rascal of a Second Officer, but stopped soon enough as her damage ribcage tarted to pain her again. Delbert turned to her, his eyes betraying his concern. Amelia eyed him warily at first, not wanting to appear weak, but eventually smiled and leaned against the startled but pleased astrophyscist.

Kitty excused herself as BEN began to rant once more, leaving Jim with the over emotional android, thank you. Kitty decided to head up to Amelia's stateroom and after a while, as she looked out of the expanse of windows at the back of the room, a longboat whisked by in the opposite direction of the Legacy's course.

Kitty bade Silver a silent good-bye and good luck. The pirate might of been a rogue, but all in all, he wasn't a bad fellow at all. That was when Amelia made her appearance, somewhat battered and worse for wear, but elegant and in command of herself despite all that.

"Well, where is Delbert gotten himself to?" Kitty asked. "I thought the two of you were inseperable..." Kity was really enjoying this, much to Amelia's chagrin.

"Very droll again, Kitty dear. But, if you must know, Dr. Doppler headed back to his cabin," Amelia explained. "Packing his belongings and what not, you know."

Kitty nodded, then got to her feet to help Amelia sit down in her chair. Amelia groaned softly as she leaned back. "So... what do you think of this adventure so far, Amelia?" Kitty asked. "Pretty exciting, huh?"

"Exciting, she says. Well, let´s see," Amelia began, just a bit sarcastically. "Arrow died, my whole crew turned out to be nothing but pirates, I was injured, and, in the end, we ended up with not a drop of treasure."

Kitty blushed in embarrassment. Amelia certainly painted the whole thing rather dismally, she thought. "Well... you got to meet Delbert at least," Kitty replied, smiling. "As well as maybe, perhaps falling in love with man, I think." Kitty gave Amelia a look that said, 'prove me wrong'. Amelia had the good grace to blush... rather prettily at that.

Kitty continued, much as to finish her own say as well as save her poor friend from having to blush so. "And to say that we didn't end up with any treasure isn't really all that accurate, really..."

"Oh? Do tell, dear," Amelia said, looked inquiringly over at Kitty.

Kitty smiled and dipped her hands inside all her pockets---one at a time---proceeding to lay golden dubloon after golden dubloon out on Amelia's pristine desk. Amelia eyes grew wide, and her brows arched up... as Kitty continued to reveal the extent of the treasure she had salvaged.

"Now, these I saved especially for you, my dear Amelia," Kitty stated, smiling and mysteriously pulling out of her trouser pocket the exquisite blue sapphire necklace, and presented it to a speechless Amelia. "You may consider his, dear, compensation for not telling you your crew was made up entirely of pirates. I'm sorry I had to do that," she said and laid it in her hands.

"Kitty," Amelia gasped, her eyes gazing with amazement down at the priceless heirloom in her slender hands. "Why... this is far too precious for you to---"

Kitty cut her off with a wave of her hand. "It's mine to give to whomever I want. And, I want to give it to you."

"But, Kitty... dear dear Kitty," Amelia continued to protest.

Kitty moved over before Amelia, and put her hands softly on her shoulders. "Look, Amelia," she began. "You and I have been through so much. You're like the sister I've always wanted, okay? I love you. So... if I want to give you some treasure... you're supposed to say, 'Thank you, Kitty.'"

"Thank you, Kitty," Amelia parroted with a grin, hugging Kitty with her good arm.

Kitty grinned. "But, wait... there's more!" she proclaimed, and then took out the necklace of round platinum links with red rubies. "Now, this is for my not telling about Arrow... well, you know," She smiled at Amelia, who took the second gift from her friend, her glorious green eyes glistening with tears. "Oh, I have a pair of earrings too, but... those I was planning on giving you as gift on the day of your bachelorette party where I´m going to make you so drunk that you won´t even mind getting your ears pierced." She winked roguishly at Amelia.

"Kitty, you are an absolute scoundrel," Amelia proclaimed around a large yawn. "But I love you all the same..."

Kitty smiled at that. "You really shoud get to bed, Captain," Kitty said and all the drubloons abruptly disappeared before Amelia's eyes. "Just in case you're getting a bit greedy... know that these drubloons are mine, and I'll decide what they get used for."

"Of course, dear... I wouldn't expect anything less," Amelia said, grunting as she staggered to her feet, her face a grimace.

Kitty snapped her fingers and a thick book appeared out of nowhere. She flipped to some page, and began reading. She read until she nodded, as if coming to some sort of understanding. Then she then turned toward Amelia. "Do sit down again, Amelia... and sit still," she commanded, helping her off with her jacket and shirt, so that she sat there only in her brassiere. Kitty winced to see the dreadful looking purple, black, and blue bruise covering Amelia's entire left side of her ribcage. Kitty snapped her fingers, and---presto!---suddenly Amelia's ribs were being wrapped in soft sturdy bandages. Kitty then conjured a glass of water out of nowhere as well as two small orange pills. "Here," she said kindly, and gave the pills to Amelia. "These will help deaden the pain... so you can sleep. That shoud do the trick for the while, I think."

Amelia gave Kitty a look of disbelief, but conceded to her commands, and took the pills, drinking all the water. Kitty then helped her back up to her feet and walked Amelia into her chambers. "Time for you to rest and recuperate, Amelia," Kitty declared with purpose, stooping to help pull off Amelia's tall boots. She then lifted her friend's legs up and helped her lie back on the bed, pulling the clean sheets up to her chin. "You have earned it."

And with that, and well... a kiss on Amelia's forehead, Kitty went out to help the others run the good ship, RLS Legacy...


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

During her break, on the main deck but away from the bridge, Kitty saw Delbert heading his way, undoubtedly up from his cabin. Kitty smiled and moved to intercept the Doctor. "Ah, all finished packing then, Doctor?" she asked.

Delbert nodded his affirmation.

"Good," Kitty replied, "We're going to make starport in about an hour's time."

"So, Ms. Petro---er, Kitty, how is the Captain this morning?" Delbert asked, trying not to sound overly worried... which he was anyway.

"Oh, she's better, Doctor," Kitty assured him. "I bandaged her wounds last night, and gave her a light dose of painkillers, so she's still sound asleep. I´m sure she will wake up in, oh, about... forty-five minutes or so."

"So precise. Why do you say that?" Delbert asked.

Kitty smiled her roguish smile. "Because somebody has to dock this bloody ship, Doctor, and I've never done anything like that before by myself," Kitty told him.

Delbert, having grown used to Kitty a bit, only smiled.

"Delbert, if I may call you that, there is one thing I'd like to ask you, if you're willing," Kitty said.

"Yes... to both questions," Delbert said cleverly, patiently letting her continue.

"When we arrive at port, I´m fairly certain that Amelia's going to be told that it's strict bedrest for her until she's a bit more healed. So, that being the case and all, I was wondering if we---the Captain and I, that is---might impose upon you to borrow a room at your home?"

Delbert smiled, then clapped his big hands softly together in happiness. "Of course you may," Delbert declared rather happily. "I´m sure it will be fine with Sarah---that's Jim´s mother, you know. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to have some new women to talk with. Just don´t get her started playing matchmaker... I beg of you. She wants me to find a woman that I can settle down with, you understand..."

"Well, what about Amelia, then?" Kitty proclaimed cleverly. "You two seem to of developed a certain fondness for one another."

"The Captain? And myself? Married?" Delbert sputtered in amazement.

"Yes. You two. Definitely. Come now, Doctor. Amelia has never, and I do mean never, let anyone tell her what to do... period. So, imagine my surprise when you put your arm around her---you rascal you!---and she just smiles! Let me tell you... had it been any other fellow doing that, she'd of flensed the very skin off of him!"

"My word! I had no idea," Delbert gasped softly.

"Yep! And that, my good Doctor, is all because she loves you," Kitty informed him.

"Loves me? The Captain?" Delbert replied, stunned by the very idea. "Why she's far to fine a woman for the likes of---"

"Don´t you dare tell me that you don't love her...because I know you do, Doctor Delbert Doppler," Kitty stated, thumping her finger gently against Delbert's chest to emphasize her point.

Delbert shook his head and smiled. "No, I won't. You're quite the clever young woman, Ms. Petro. You are quite right, of course," he said. "I do love her...more than any one I've ever known."

"Well that's great. Then maybe our rooming arrangements might evenutally prove to be, er, well, a bit more permament then, hmm?" Kitty teased.

Delbert blushed, then grinned at her. "One can hope, my friend. That is, if the two of you really want to live in my house. I'm afraid I've been a bachelor for quite some time... and, I'm not much of a housekeeper, I'm afraid..."

Kitty smiled. "Trust me, Doc, we will," she told him, causing Delbert to blush once more. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to my duties."

"Of course," Delbert answered, bowing his head politely. "Good day to you, Ms. Petro."

Later, it was time for Kitty to go and wake up Amelia, so that she could supervise the docking of the Legacy. Amelia grunted, a bit muzzy still, but she got into her uniform---though a bit painfully---and followed Kitty out on deck. She assumed her position on the bridge, and promptly smiled when she saw Delbert. Kitty smiled at that... Amelia really did have a rather lovely smile.

"Oh, Amelia... the Doctor told me that we´re both welcome to stay with him just as long as we both should want to," Kitty told her quietly.

Amelia turned a fond gaze on the unsuspecting Doctor. "That's very sweet of him, don't you think?" Amelia said with that same smile. Delbert chose that moment to look up, and saw both of the ladies. He excused himself from Jim Hawkins, and hurried over to join to them.

"How are you feeling, Captain?" the smiling yet concerned Delbert asked.

"Weird," Kitty muttered, mostly to herself, but was obviously overhead.

"What is weird, Kitty?" Amelia asked.

"I've got the oddest sense of deja vu is all," Kitty said. "This is precisely what happened just yesterday morning... you know, after Arrow's death."

Both Delbert and Amelia blinked in surprise, but both had to smile when they realized she was right.

"All right then. One mor thing, you two," Kitty requested, pretending to be stern.

"Yes, dear? And that would be?" Amelia asked, smiling indulgently at Kitty.

Kitty threw up her hands in mock despair. "Gah, you two! Give each other a kiss already! What are you waiting for... the wedding?" Kitty growled in frustration.

Both Amelia and Delbert blushed simultaneously at that, then proceeded to give one another a series of shy, embarrassed looks.

"Oh, did I fail to mention that if you don´t do so willingly, I can---and will---force you," Kitty said. "So you might as well face the music, folks, and do it properly..."

Amelia's pale cheeks flushed even pinker as she cast a nervous, yet somewhat hopeful look Delbert's way. The poor Doctor's face was beet red, but he chuckled nervously and leaned over to chastely kiss the lovely Amelia on her cheek. Amelia smiled fondly at him, and Delbert relaxed. Well, at least he did before he deduced that Amelia had another type of kiss in mind. Amelia's green eyes smoldered, and she took his face gently in her hands and kissed the startled canid soundly on the mouth. Delbert made strangled sounds at first, and tried desperately to pull away...but his struggles lessened almost immediately, and he grinned rather foolishly when Amelia released him. Kitty giggled as Delbert didn't say a single word, just standing there gaping like a fish out of water.

"Good," Kitty said with a nod and a smile. "Now, I´ll leave you two lovebirds alone, as some of us have got work to do..." And, with a smug and satisfied smile on her face, Kitty headed down on deck, leaving the soon to be Doppler couple alone. Down on deck, she spotted Jim staring out over the rail. "Hello there, Jim," she said by way of greeting.

Jim turned and smiled at her. "Hey there, Kitty," he replied.

"Um, listen, Jim... I've got something for you," Kitty said, the faintest hint of pink on her own fair cheeks, and removed a leather pouch from inside her jacket. She pressed the pouch into Jim's hand, and continued. "Inside there are ten gold dubloons. Use them for whatever you want. A new surfer, new clothes, maybe even an education. It´s entirely up to you." She then turned around to go, but stopped. "Ah yes, one more thing, Jim."

"Yeah?" he responded, putting away the gold from sight.

"Be glad that I'm of the same opinion of Silver as you are, else I´d of tossed your sorry butt in our brig for letting that rascal get away," Kitty told him.

Jim just gaped at her, stunned that she knew.

"Of course," she continued along blithely, pretending to not even notice Jim's stunned expression. "Silver showed his true colors. He's a good man, who's learned the error of his ways, right? That´s why he gave you Morph now, isn't it?" And having said her piece, she turned briskly on her heel and headed back up on the bridge, feeling Jim´s look of disbelief follow her...

Once the Legacy made spacedock, Kitty went ashore to summon the authorities to come and cart off the pirates to the local hoosegow. After that was accomplished, she summoned medical help for Amelia. As Crescentia was a fairly modern and bustling starport, the emergency teams came quickly, and with Kitty and Delbert's assistance, helped Amelia into the hospital carriage that woud take her to treated. Kitty climbed in, followed by Delbert, both of them taking seat beside Amelia.

"Excuse me, but are you friends or family?" the female human medtech asked, while helping Amelia get comfortable.

"I´m her sister," Kitty informed the woman. "And that´s her gentleman friend," Kitty added, pointed first to herself, and then to Delbert.

The medical technician looked toward Amelia to confirm that this was correct. She nodded, though the effort caused her to groan softly in pain. The pain killers Kitty had given her the night before seemd to of finally run their course. The technician nodded to the carriage driver and they were off.

"Oh, Kitty... I told Jim that I would be going with you and the Captain," Delbert said, smiling. "Sarah will be okay, she can wait for a while...after all, she has Jim..."

Kitty smiled toward the already blushing Amelia, who smiled gamely in return. Kitty noticed, and smothered a grin, when Delbert unknowingly took Amelia's hand in his own for the duration of their trip.

Finally they arrived at the hospital, and the two medtechs helped Amelia inside to an examining room. The tech told Kitty she could follow, but asked Delbert to wait outside in the waiting room.

The doctor on call arrived, and with Kitty's assistance, helped Amelia to disrobe completely. The lady then gently removed the bandages Kitty had wound about her ribcage. She grimazed at the sight of the nasty bruise and its swelling. "What in the name of the Etherium, Miss, happend to you?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing much really, Doctor. Typical injuries sustained by one when they are grazed by a well-aimed laserball, I suspect," Amelia replied, grunting as the Doctor gently probed the injury.

"You don't say? Well, I need to take some X-rays, and that´s for certain. So I can ascertain the extent of your injuries, Miss," the Doctor said. Kitty and the Doctor helped Amelia to lie down on the flat metal table of the machine, as she got the instrument out from the side and placed it over Amelia's wounds.

Moments later, after the x-rays were done, the Doctor return whit the films, and placed them against a lighted device on the wall. "Not too bad, fortunately. But, you still have three broken ribs," she informed Amelia. "You're going to experience some not so pleasant pain, but there's really not that much I can do about that. The best I can do is to wrap your chest, which will keep the ribs in place while they heal. Be sure to change your bandages every day after you shower."

"I shall, Doctor," Amelia promised, pleased that she wasn't as badly injured as she had thought she might be.

"Oh, and one more thing, Miss... I'm afraid you won't be running of on any adventures any time soon. Light exercise and bedrest until further notice. Do you hear?"

Amelia, who had a list of things to do, looked up at the Doctor, shocked. "What? Bedrest? Why, I---" she protested.

But before she coud say a word more, the Doctor raised her voice, stating, "You have three broken ribs, my dear Captain. And that being the case, you need rest and relaxation... not stress. You are not to do anything stressful for the next six months, am I clear?"

Amelia just gaped but the stare she got from Kitty was enough for her to close her eyes and sigh, understanding she didn't stand a chance. "You'll enforce her silly rules even when I'm out of the hospital, won't you?" Amelia asked suspiciously.

"You better believe it, missy," Kitty warned, crossing her arms before her chest.

Amelia could only sigh, and close her eyes.

After a while the lady doctor re-bandaged Amelias wounded ribs and gave her a prescription for painkillers. Amelia redressed---with Kitty's help, obviously---and the pair left the room, and headed out into the waiting area. Delbert, upon spotting the two felinids, got to his feet like a shot, and hurried over to them, his concern written all over his face.

"Well?" he questioned tentatively, his brown eyes troubled as he looked at Amelia, as if he could somehow tell her condition just by looking at her.

"Don't look so forlorn, Doc... she'll be fine. She got three broken ribs is all," Kitty said. "Her doctor told her that she need to rest for the next six months."

"Oh, Captain, you poor dear," Delbert replied, reaching out to carefully touch Amelia's free arm in a comforting gesture. Amelia had to suppress a shiver that touch caused, but she did smile kindly at him.

"Well then," Delbert began, smiling confidently... or at least that was what he hoped he did. "Since our lovely Captain needs her rest, it's high time for me to get you ladies to your new home."

And as he nodded, turned, and headed out to arrange everything, Amelia smiled.

Kitty grinned. "I hope you noticed that he said, 'our lovely Captain', Amelia."

Amelia's eyes followed the gangly Doctor's progress out the door, a small fond smile on her lips. She then turned to Kitty. "Yes, I did rather. He's a charming fellow, don't you think?"

"Yes, rather," Kitty replied in a fairly good imitation of her friend's diction, which caused Amelia to chuckle.

"Come along, you insufferable rogue," Amelia replied, looping her good arm through Kitty's own. The two militarily clad ladies, arm in arm, began the short walk out of the hospital. "Let's go see our new home, shall we?"

"Yes, let's," Kitty replied in her typical teasing fashion, which made Amelia grin and shake her head. Kitty was beaming inside though, as the look in her friend's lovely green eyes told her all she needed to know... the once lonely astrophyscist and this outwarly confident, yet inwardly lonely Captain would be lonely no more. They---whether they knew it or not---were a couple, one destined for great things... among them, somthing they both had been missing so long in their lives---each other! Kitty put her hand over Amelia's and squeezed it fondly, glancing over to smile happily at Amelia. Amelia, not understanding precisely, but tickled by Kitty's happiness, grinned in reply.


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The carriage ride to Delbert's home was picturesque as Kitty looked around, seeing the sights, as it were. The landscape here on the planet Montressor was beautiful. All right...so maybe it wasn't Earth or even Felinesia, but despite its ruggedness, it was still quite breathtaking.

Just when Amelia began to drowse comfortably beside Kitty, the Doctor brought the carriage to a stop. "Ah, here we are," Delbert proclaimed to the ladies. "Home sweet home..."

Kitty's eyes widened at seeing Delbert´s home for the first time...and that was even though she already had an idea of what to expect. Amelia gaped in amazement at the size of the Doppler mansion, a bit wide-eyed for her part.

"Well," Delbert said as he dismounted, patting the slug-like bullyadous, who had the rather exotic name of Delilah. "Shall we go and meet the others then?"

Amelia was to just about to ask just who these 'others' were when she remembered Kitty showing her and Arrow the part of her 'movie' where the pirates had burned down the Benbow Inn. Delbert gallantly offered her his hand to assist her out of the carriage. She smiled and laid her slender hand in Delbert´s before stepping down. "Yes, Doctor, let us meet the others," she told him. Amelia stood patiently by while Delbert offered to help Kitty down, but she refused politely and leapt down on her own.

Delbert led them inside the mansion, and into the large foyer. "Hello! Sarah? Jim? We're home!" Delbert called.

Sarah Hawkins appeared moments later, along with her son Jim in tow.

Delbert was nervous, yet excited. "Um, Sarah...this is Captain Amelia. Oh...and her Second Officer and sister, Kitty Petro," Delbert said, indicating Amelia with a wave of his hand, and oh yes, a goofy smile. He then shook his head, and rapidly introduced Kitty as well to Sarah and Jim.

"A pleasure to meet you both," Sarah said politely, smiling and shaking of their hands in turn. "My Jim has told me a lot about the both of you. Thank you, Captain...Ms. Petro, for getting Jim home."

"Our pleasure, Mrs. Hawkins, really," Amelia said graciously, but grimaced a bit as she leaned forward to shake hands with Sarah. "As to your Mr. Hawkins here, well, he was---how shall I put this?---instrumental in getting all of us home in one piece."

Sarah noticed Amelia grimace of pain. "Oh, you poor thing! Jim told me you were injured by those wretched pirates...and, stop shushing me, Delbert Doppler. You really didn't expect Jim to keep those sort of things from his own mother now, did you?" Sarah said, glaring crossly at Delbert when he tried to move off the subject.

Both Amelia and Kitty looked over at Jim, who seemed to be trying to shrink into the shadows. Sarah saw their expressions and interceded on her son's behalf. "Now, don´t be cross with him," Sarah said. "I wanted to know." Sarah then turned toward Kitty. "Ah, so you're Captain Amelia's sister, are you?"

"Yep, that's me, Mrs. Hawkins," Kitty quipped, the rascal still. "And, it´s nice to meet you too."

"Don't mind her, Mrs. Hawkins," Amelia interrupted, giving Kitty a look. "Her sense of humor takes, well, some getting used to..."

"Please...the both of you! Just call me Sarah," Sarah pleaded, but smiled.

"Well," Delbert began, moving over beside Amelia's left side. "I suppose we should get a bit of a move on, hmm? Let me show you your rooms."

As the three filed past the living room, Amelia nearly fainted from shock. The doctor's living room was rather untidy...especially in the area around the bookshelves that lined the walls. Books littered the ground, the end tables, the coffee tables, etc.

"Whatever's the matter?" Delbert asked, clearly concerned.

"Don't mind her, Doctor," Kitty replied, giving Amelia a glare. "You see, our Amelia here is what you might call a bit of a perfectionist. She's never been able to tolerate messiness."

"Oh dear," Delbert said, wringing his hands. Evidently, he understood all too well just how his living room must appear.

"Not to worry, Doctor," Amelia said, after taking a deep breath. "I´ll survive quite nicely, thank you." She eyed Kitty with a glare of her own.

"Thank heavens for that. Now, shall we continue then?" Delbert asked. They both nodded, and followed him up the long semi-circular staircase. The house was absolutely huge...and in need of at least a good spring cleaning, Kitty observed after a bout of choking on the dust.

"Ah, here we are at last," Delbert proclaimed with a smile. This section of the house seemed to be in fairly good order, and recently cleaned. Kitty figured Sarah Hawkins must of had something to do with that. The Doctor opened the door to the first room, and bade the ladies to enter. Once inside, both Amelia and Kitty whistled in suprise. The room---like many in the Doppler mansion---was huge, with a midnight blue ceiling with tasteful renditions of all sorts of stellar phenomena, such as yellow-white stars, blue-white quasars, brightly colored nebula...there was even a comet to be found. "Now, Captain," Delbert proclaimed, rather proudly. "This will be your room...er, at least for the duration of your stay here, that is."

"Hmm," Amelia mused, a small smile on her lips. "I think I shall be most comfortable here, Doctor. Thank you." She then put her space bag down, and looked about her new abode.

Delbert grinned in pleasure. He looked over to Kitty, his expression a bit vacant though thoughful. Without even looking back to Amelia, he added a bit absent-mindedly. "Now, my room is right across the hall for yours, should you need any assistance with anything."

Kitty couldn't let such an opportunity to pass by without some sort of comment. "Like having the Doctor tuck you in at night, hmm?" Kitty whispered her suggestion in Amelia's ear, grinning.

Amelia said nothing, but gave Kitty an irritated glare. Kitty grinned, as she didn't fail to notice Amelia's rather fetching blush.

Apparently, Delbert missed this too, which was just as well. "Well then, now to your room, Kitty," Delbert said, leading both of them back out into the hallway. He led them both down the hall to the very next room. "Ah, here we are! You'll notice that it´s right here next to the Captain's." Delbert opened the door with a small bow, and ushered them in.

Kitty, her eyes wide in anticipation, headed inside and once she saw her room, she gasped softly in surprise. The room was nearly as large as Amelia' had been, but the walls here consisted of one very large mural of some unknown jungle inhabited by various and most exotic creatures. Some of these creatures Kitty had never seen before, but then again, some she recognized instantly. Especially the ones that she had been introduced to in Amelia's lessons for her. She spotted a panthyger (half- panther, half-tiger) on one wall, lying in wait behind some tall grass. On another side of her room, she spotted a snolo (which was essentially a blue lion, sporting an icy-blue mane). She decided then to venture a look up, and on the ceiling the sky was skillfully represented. And, in that sky, she quickly discerned a cloud which reminded her of a Pegasus.

"So...do you find it to your liking?" Delbert asked, just a bit tentatively. After all, Kitty had yet to utter a single word.

"Like it?" Kitty answered, gazing all around. She turned to Delbert and shook her head. "Nope. Sorry." Delbert's face fell, and his droopy ears drooped more in his disappointment.

"Hang on, Doc," Kitty was quick to add. "I don't like it...I love it!"

Delbert's hang-dog (sorry!) expression turned bright with obvious relief. "Well, that's wonderful! I did---I confess---hope you would enjoy this. I know that I am rather fond of it myself, Kitty..."

"So do I, Doc," Kitty said with a grin. "So do I..."

Delbert grinned like a proud father. "Well, you see, this room was commonly used as a guest room," Delbert explained. "It all started with one of the guests who stayed here overnight. He turned out to be a rather talented young man, and it was he who composed the initial sketches of the mural on the wall...that wall in fact." Delbert pointed to the wall with the panthyger on it. "Since then, other guests have added to the mural...incorporating creatures from their home worlds, or even from their own mythology, I suppose..."

Kitty was still taking it all in eagerly. "So, Doctor...may I add to the mural too then?" Kitty asked.

"But of course you may, Kitty," Delbert allowed.

"Thanks!" Kitty replied, her imagination already working overtime. "I'll start right now, if it's all the same to you both..." As Delbert and Amelia both watched to their wonder, Kitty moved over to a currently vacant part of the jungle, and nodded to herself. She then snapped her fingers, and a collection of drawing and painting supplies appeared, seemingly from nowhere. "Now, shoo...the both of you! I´ll let you know when I´m finished," Kitty declared.

Delbert smiled indulgently. Amelia had been right, he mused to himself. Kitty might be a rogue, but she was a rather endearing one. "Yes, Ma'am," Delbert answered. "Shall we, Captain?" he then added, hooking his arm out to her.

Amelia was initially caught off guard. As a Captain, she was unused to gentlemen offering her their arms. So, she found herself staring at the Doctor a moment or two. But, then---as a young woman---Amelia found herself charmed by the Doctor's gallantry, and looped her arm inside the Doctor's and laid her hand upon his forearm. "Yes, I think so, Doctor. Kitty can be a rather determined young woman when she sets her mind on something." And, with that, the two of them---arm in arm---strolled out of the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind them.

"Sheesh, I thought they'd never leave," Kitty jokingly groused, before she started painting two tigers, her absolute favorite animal from Earth. She also drew them to more than a little resemble Delbert and Amelia. The tigeress that sported Amelia's features rested her proud chin upon the shoulder of the lying tiger who so resembled Delbert, who similarly rested his chin upon the Amelia-tiger's shoulder. Kitty crafter her work so that the two tigers' tails were laid tip to tip, arching about to form the shape of a heart. One last touch to her masterpiece, Kitty drew in then painted a glorious sunset behind the couple, the reddish pink light forming yet another heart, done up in colors that only a sunset can produce.

Kitty reviewed her work, and nodded in satisfaction. "Hmm, not too shabby, this," she remarked to herself when she had finished. With another sharp snap of her fingers, the floor---as well as herself---was clean of paint. She opened a window to allow whatever paint fumes there might be to escape, and moved to just before the door.

She then changed her mind, grinned, then teleported herself down to the living room, where Delbert and Sarah where busy cleaning. Kitty spotted Amelia sitting in a large stuffed chair, drowsing peacefully.

"Hey there, Doc," Kitty said by way of greeting, grinning impishly from just behind the good Doctor.

Delbert nearly jumped out of his skin. "Kitty! What in heavens?" Delbert yelped, putting a hand over his hammering you and Mrs. Hawkins use some help?" Kitty asked.

Delbert smiled, thankfully. "Why yes, that woud be quite nice, Kitty. Thank you," Delbert said.

"No problem, Doctor," Kitty replied, then simply snapped her fingers, instantly transforming the messy living room---why, the entire mansion, in fact---from messy to immaculate. "You´re welcome. Don't mention it, really," Kitty said humbly, her expression noble. "Oh, hey! Nearly forgot to tell you all. I finished my painting...if you're interested in seeing it, of course..."

"Goodness, yes! Though, I am a bit surprised you've finished already, Kitty. Shall we proceed then... and see what you've come up with?" Delbert ventured.

Kitty looked over to the still drowsing Amelia. "Coming, Amelia?" Kitty asked, as Delbert and Sarah turned to wait for her.

Amelia snapped awake, then nodded. "Of course, dear. Do lead on," Amelia said and getting up from her comfy chair.

When they all climbed the stairs to Kitty´s room, Kitty stood dramatically by her door, then opened it with a flourish, and bade them all to enter.

Amelia's eyes widened in surprise at Kitty's work. "Great Horton's Nebula!" she proclaimed. "I say, Kitty...this is some of your best work yet, I daresay."

Delbert then spotted the newest addition to the room's mural. "Astounding, Kitty! Those tigers of yours are magnificent. Say...what is it about that fellow that seems so familiar?" he observed, moving closer to take a closer look, as did a rather unsettled looking Amelia, who cast a look Kitty's way.

Sarah had to smile, as she caught on. She moved closer to Kitty, leaning over to whisper, "So...you've seen it too, hmm?" she asked.

Kitty grinned, and shrugged. "Well...I have been around them the entire voyage, you know...and afterward, of course," Kitty admitted, winking roguishly to Sarah.

Delbert looked to the tigers, then couldn't help himself and cast a glance to Amelia. Amelia had arched an eyebrow when she realized one of the tigers looked very much like herself. The other eyebrow joined its mate a moment later when she saw the heart the tigers' tails made...as well as the subtle heart shaped sunset that loomed behind the two reposing felines. Amelia could not bring herself to return Delbert's inquiring look at first. But, eventually, as if drawn there magically, she did... and promptly blushed like a teen-ager.

"Like it, Amelia?" Kitty asked, before she laughed softly aloud.

Amelia knew she should be furious with Kitty, and yet... somehow she found herself not. "Rather nice work, actually, Kitty dear. Where ever did you get the inspiration for these two delightful additions to the mural?" Amelia asked with a very subtle grin of her own. She then flicked her glance over to Delbert, who had just put two and two together, then gasped and blushed himself.

"Oh my," Delbert said aloud, putting his hand over his mouth.

Amelia couldn't help herself and giggled softly, which was soon joined by Sarah's own giggle. Kitty now wiped her eyes from her tightly controlled laughter, and nearly laughed out loud when she spotted Delbert's rather goofy grin.

Sarah decided to take pity on them all. "All right everyone. It's time for lunch. Let's go!" she commanded, turning first Kitty, then Delbert and Amelia around and ushering out the door toward her kitchen...


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Kitty had to admit that Sarah´s food was some of the best she had ever tasted. And that was very obvious, apparently...at least to Amelia.

"Kitty, do mind your manners. We are guests," Amelia chided her friend as Kitty leaned over the table to take her third portion of roast. Kitty simply stuck out her tongue at her impudently. Amelia sighed wearily, and turned to Sarah. "Usually, she actually does display exquisite manners, but it appears that she seems to be having a bit of relapse to her old ways..."

Sarah just smiled to allay Amelia's embarrassment. "Oh, that´s nothing to worry about, Amelia. I just consider Kitty's hearty appetite to simply mean she appreciates my cooking is all."

"Ha! Like this food, she says," Kitty said around a big mouthful of mashed potatoes and gravy, in apparent disbelief. "Sarah...I **love** your food!"

"Eat up then, Ms. Petro...there´s always more," Sarah replied kindly.

Kitty's response to Sarah's graciousness was to just eat faster...oh, while taking gulps of her purp juice from the glass she held in her tail.

"Charming girl, isn't she?" Amelia muttered to Delbert, shaking her head while continued to eat her own meal. Delbert smiled indulgently at Kitty, then adoringly over at the unsuspecting Amelia.

When lunch was finally over---after Kitty personally demolished the better part of an entire apple pie---Kitty decided to make up a bit for her, er, overenthusiasm, by staying to help Sarah clean up the dishes. Well, to be truthful, actually Kitty only snapped her fingers, instantly transforming the dirty lunch dishes to pristine stacks of sparkling china, silver, and stemware. The remainder of the time, she and Sarah had a little talk between themselves.

"So, Kitty...what do you think of Montressor so far?" Sarah asked, sighing as she took a seat at the small table in the kitchen.

"Well, I don´t know just yet," Kitty mused, taking the seat across from Sarah. "You see...I've only seen the spaceport, the hospital, and...oh, and the landscape along the way from the hospital to here. But, so far, it does look like a place I might like to stay at. Calm, peaceful atmosphere all around...not a bad thing, really."

"Good," Sarah said, nodding, quite pleased.

Kitty smiled. "Sarah, are you thinking that because you want to play matchmaker between Amelia and Delbert by chance?"

Sarah looked away a moment. "Well, Delbert has been a bachelor for far too long in my opinion," Sarah opinied.

Kitty smiled. "You think that because you're such a good friend to him."

Sarah blushed at that. "Well, he's been helping me out for a good long time, Kitty. I figure that it´s about time I do the same for him this time."

Kitty smiled in understanding. Sarah was a kindhearted soul. Having her as a new friend was something Kitty would appreciate wery much. "Well, as a matter of fact, I couldn't agree more with you," she said. "But, truth be know, those two know that already, they're just frightened is all," Kitty said. "They're both deathly afarid to admit it."

Surprisingly enough to Kitty, just as she said that, a mental image of a certain blond felinid fellow flashed before her mind. She shook her head to clear that particular image away. No, she told herself mentally, Alex´s just a friend...that's all.

"Well, Sarah...shall we rejoin the others?" Kitty asked, more to take her mind of things than anything else.

"Yes, let's," Sarah answered and they both got up and headed back for the living room. As they were about to step in, both Sarah and Kitty stood dumbfounded as they witnessed Delbert kissing Amelia...or was it Amelia kissing Delbert? Kitty didn't know...and frankly, didn't care.

"Well, it's about bloody time, Doctor," Kitty teased, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. She crossed her arms.

"Just you hush, you wretch," Amelia snapped, taking her hand from behind Delbert's neck to flash her a rather rude hand gesture. Apparently, living with Kitty had managed to rub some of the polish off of Amelia's normally impeccable manners.

Kitty blinked in surprise. Then she grinned, shrugging her shoulders while saying, "Nice. About time she lost some of her prim and proper manners, really. Took her long enough." Kitty laughed softly, seeing the look of shock on Sarah's face. She then headed back upstairs, telling Sarah that she was going to bed to take herself a refreshing nap. As she slipped from sight, Amelia finally released Delbert, who was breathing a bit heavy, and was rather red in the face. Amelia laid her slender hand against Delbert's cheek, and just smiled, looking adoringly into his brown eyes.

"It's about time, Delbert Doppler," Sarah whispered with a certain smug satisfaction. She waited for the two to compose themselves, then headed into the room, heading over towards Amelia. "Congratulations, Captain. Our Delbert really is a rather nice fellow."

"That is something I'm coming to know myself, Sarah," Amelia replied.

"So...just to be social, you two, what just happened here?" Sarah asked eagerly, yet politely.

"Well, Sarah, it all began with that painting of Kitty's...you know the one?" Delbert started, then faltered, clearing his throat and running a finger under his collar.

"Yes, well, after you two left after lunch, Delbert here shocked me by asking me if I had feelings for him, one's like that wretch Kitty so thoughtfully portrayed for all and sundry," Amelia said, then blushed like a teenage school girl. Amelia composed herself, then continued. "You see...Kitty has been trying to convince me for what seems ages that I was in love with him...Delbert, that is." Amelia now cleared her throat, and smiled when Delbert laid his big hand comfortingly over her own smaller one. She then worked up the nerve to continue. "But the thing of it was the fact that I was convinced that well, he didn't fell the same way about me."

Delbert chose the moment to lift Amelia's hand to his lips and lightly kiss the back of it. Amelia became all flustered temporarily, her thoughts jumbled. She blinked rapidly a few times, then managed to shakily continue on. "So, when I finally figured out that we both felt the same way about each other...well, as you saw, the moment sort of took over," she confessed, turning to smile at Delbert.

"Thank you for telling me," Sarah said.

That was the precise moment that Jim came bustling inside, his cheeks glowing, his blue eyes lighting up at seeing his mother and his friends. "So, folks...anything interesting happen while I've been gone?" he asked, quite innocently.

Amelia looked to Delbert, then the both of them looked over to Sarah, who began to laugh, soon to be joined by both Amelia's and Delbert's chuckles.

Jim gave them the irritated look all teenagers give their elders. "What? What did I say?"

Sarah convulsed in a flurry of giggling, annoying her son all the more.

"Fine, be that way then!" Jim declared, turning and stomping from the room in a huff.

The three adults howled with laughter.


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Kitty lay, smiling, drowsing blissfully in her bed. It's about bloody time the both of them realized that they were meant for each other, she mused silently to herself.

She then heard her door open, knew precisely who it was, but continued to drowse happily. Kitty listened to Amelia's heels clicking on the floor as she made her way over to her bed. Amelia stopped right beside Kitty, standing over her.

"Finished snogging then?" Kitty asked impishly, her grin infectious.

Amelia made a face at her. "Always the witty one, you are, Kitty," Amelia declared quietly. "Actually though, I thought I'd be kind, and let you know that I---at least---plan to move in here...with the Doctor. Of course, he was kind enough to extend that invitation to you as well, my dear...though, heaven only knows why..." Amelia smirked at that.

"Huh. I kind of thought so," Kitty proclaimed a bit loftily. "Took you long enough..."

Amelia blushed in the darkness, and gave Kitty a playful swat on the arm. "Kindly can the commentary, you. Now, that being said... as we are both moving in to these rooms---and this house---on a more permanent basis, do you think you could... well, use your ability to teleport our belongings from our house on Felinsia to here?"

Kitty yawned, thought about her request a moment, then nodded. Amelia gasped in surprise when Kitty's form blinked from existence before her very eyes. Amelia place her hand over her thundering heart, then shook her head. "Little show-off," she said, and moved back to take a chair beside the window to await Kitty's return.

Kitty appeared nanoseconds later at their home on Felinsia, yawning at the lateness of the hour. She looked about at their furnishings briefly, then snapped her fingers sharply once. In the blink of an eye, all the small comfortable home's furnishings and fixtures, art work, as well as both ladies clothing disappeared. Kitty did a quick once over to be sure nothing was missed, then quickly sketched out a note to the landlord informing them of their change of address. Having done all that---oh, and having herself one more huge yawn---she teleported herself back. "There you go... all done, girlfriend," Kitty declared... again around a yawn.

Amelia smiled, and got to her feet. She noticed immediately that the walls of Kitty's room now sported her favorite artwork, and her closets and drawers were now full of her clothing. Amelia moved over to the sleepy girl, and thankfully kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, dear heart. That was really most kind of you," she said.

"Hey, no problem. Glad to of been of help," Kitty said and yawned again. "Now... do you think I can go back to bed now?"

Amelia sighed and nodded, accepting Kitty's sleeping habits... even though she secretly desired to talk to another woman just that moment.

"Thanks, Sis!" Kitty said cleverly, grinning before she dove back beneath her covers once more. Kitty snapped her fingers once more, and was wearing her favorite pair of pajamas once more. With a contented sigh, she closed her eyes and sighed sleepily. Amelia shook her head, smiled, and headed back out into the hall.

There, Delbert stood awaiting Amelia's return. "Have I told you just how thrilled I am that you and Kitty so graciously have agreed to stay? I mean, having time alone to myself was nice, mind you... but only for a while. Even an astrophysicist such as myself---"

"Doctor," Amelia shushed him, placing a kind hand over the Doctor's mouth. "Delbert. Yes, you have told us both... several times, in fact. And, Kitty and I are thrilled to be here as well."

Delbert grinned sheepishly. "I do apologize, Amelia. I suppose that---well, that I'm a teensy bit excited is all..."

Amelia smiled indulgently, secretly pleased by Delbert's pleasure at having her company.

"Oh, a question, Amelia. Am I correct in observing that our Kitty never seemed all that tired when we were aboard the Legasy?" Delbert pointed out.

"Hmm, yes, I believe you may be right, Delbert," Amelia said, enjoying being able to say his name aloud. "Kitty has been behaving rather strangely---even more than is usually the case---this trip."

"Strange, do you say? How so?" Delbert asked. "I hadn't really noticed, dear. Well, other than the fact that she seems to act a lot like you do, of course."

"That's it... precisely," Amelia said with a smile. "You see, 'normal' behavior for Kitty would be to sing, cavort, and dance all the live long day, you know, getting to know my spacers a bit better, trying to make them loosen up little. Why, did you know that on her first voyage with me aboard the Legacy, she took it upon herself to teach the cadets on board a silly game called 'pin the tail on the donkey'. Cadets gallivanting about deck in blindfolds... silly, really. She then proceeded to instruct them all in some sort of dancing game, which even I succumbed to trying... and which incidentally resulted in her giving me a tail---beastly business, that---as well as pink hair. Kitty even managed to convince me to become involved in her hijinx, resulting in the two of us singing some rousing duet, if memory serves me correctly."

Delbert just lifted an eyebrow at the thought of that, then began chuckling. "Now that, my love, I would of liked to of seen," he told her, and kissed Amelia on the cheek.

"You just wish, Delbert Doppler. I'd of turned your bones to water, sir," Amelia confessed roguishly, then smiled and kissed him back, though on the mouth, and a great deal more passionately.

Delbert, unprepared for Amelia's sweet kiss, stiffened briefly but almost immediately loosened up and put his arms about her. Amelia, for her part, moved to do the same, but as she lifted her arms to put them behind his neck, her ribs chose that moment protested disapprovingly.

Amelia gasped between her teeth, and released Delbert quickly, placing a protective hand over her aching ribs. "Bloody hell," Amelia groused. "What an absolute bother..."

"Oh, dear," Delbert said, his voice full of concern and compassion. "My apologies, Amelia. I hadn't thought... well, I mean, I didn't---"

"Delbert, do shut up," Amelia teased. "And kiss me." She left her arms down this go-round, and Delbert kissed her rather soundly, much to her satisfaction.

"Amelia, as much as it pains me to say this... perhaps we should follow Kitty's example, at least this time, and make an early night of things?" Delbert tactfully suggested.

Amelia sighed, but reluctantly nodded.

Delbert smiled, then put one finger beneath Amelia's somewhat sulky chin, and lifted her proud face up. "There will be other days such as these, you know," he told her, trying to cheer her up.

Amelia couldn't pout for long, and gave him a thankful smile. "Yes. Yes, you're right of course. Best thing to do is rest up, I suppose. Shall we?" Amelia replied, allowing Delbert to escort her to her room, a comforting arm about her slim shoulders. As they arrived at Amelia's bedroom, Delbert helpfully opened the door to allow her in.

Delbert and Amelia exchanged loving glances with one another through the doorway. "Well... good night, Amelia," Delbert reluctantly said, turning and began pulling the door closed to give Amelia her privacy... after all, he was above all else a gentleman.

Amelia smiled happily and began to undress herself. And, that was where the trouble began. Amelia had already unbuttoned her shirt, but each time she tried to ease the garment over her shoulders, her side erupted in pain. She tried this a number of times... ending up sweating and swearing most unladylike. "Bloody hell," she groused again. She briefly thought of waking Kitty to help her. But that seemed rather unkind to her just now. So, her heart beginning to thunder in her chest, she threw her robe over her undone shirt, tied it closed, and moved across the hall quietly to knock upon Delbert's door.

Delbert must of just gone inside himself, as he opened the door quickly. He squinted at Amelia---he had taken off his spectacles---and then his shaggy eyebrows flew up in surprise. "Amelia? Is something wrong?" he asked, his first concern---as always---her welfare.

Amelia felt her heart melt at his caring expression. "I do hate to intrude upon you, Delbert... but do you think I might ask for your help?" Amelia asked quietly, so as to not wake Kitty...or, at least that was what she told herself.

"Anytime, Amelia," Delbert said at once, turning to fetch his spectacles off his dresser. Amelia took his hand, and led him across the hall and quietly into her room. After she shut the door, and briefly listened to hear Kitty's steady breathing, she turned to the man before her. She found herself blushing in the light of the room. She looked away from him in embarrassment. Amelia felt as if she would faint deadaway... if that wouldn't of scandalized her for life. Her pulse thrummed in her ears, and her heart pounded. "I---er, that is, well... confound it all!" Amelia began, only to growl in her excitement and embarrassment. "Look, I am not trying to be forward or anything, Delbert," Amelia began again, her cheeks burning redly. "But... well, I am loathe to admit it... but I cannot seem to get out of my blasted shirt!" She unbelted her robe then, and flicked her green eyes down to unbuttoned shirt, which---much to her delight and chagrin---showed a good deal of her velvety skin.

Delbert blinked several times, his eyes wide beneath his already fogging-up spectacles. "Um... oh, my..." he stammered.

Amelia gulped, realizing how things might look. "For heaven's sake, man... I'm just a woman. Get on with it already." She didn't mean to be brusque, but, well, he did seem to be ogling her a bit...though, to be fair, a part of her didn't really mind all that much. Her mind warred with itself.

"Oh, I am sorry, Amelia," Delbert said, shaking his head. "Do forgive my behavior, dear lady... but, you are so very lovely..."

Amelia felt her blush creep into her hairline, but she smiled at his compliment. "You are forgiven, sir... and... thank you," Amelia told him.

"Now, here... let me help with this," Delbert began, moving around behind Amelia, both to be of more assistance, as well as to not make her any more uncomfortable than she already might be. Damn his own wandering eyes! He turned his attention to helping Amelia off with her silken shirt, which with his help, slipped nearly effortlessly over her smooth shoulders.

Amelia felt her skin glow under the touch of his big soft fingers upon her. She had to suppress a shiver of---what, she couldn't quite determine... but she liked it.

"Thank you, that's much better," she said in a shaky voice.

Delbert's face and ears felt hot now, and he turned to go... part of him wanting out **now**, while an equally strong part wanted desperately to stay. "Um, of course, Amelia. Er, glad to of been of help," he managed, though barely.

Amelia saw him turn to leave, and reacted. She covered her chest with her arms and called out softly. "Wait!"

Delbert groaned aloud, inwardly warring between his decency and his desires. He bit his lower lip to gain control of himself, then quickly composed himself and turned back to her. God! She was beautiful... and then he thought, more beautiful than a fellow such as myself could ever deserve. "Yes?" he croaked.

"Since you're here, Delbert," Amelia began, hardly believing what she was about to ask. She quickly donned her robe over herself, and tied it taut around her narrow waist. "Could you...? I mean, I can't unfasten the bloody thing, and..." Amelia felt herself flush and look away.

Delbert felt a sheen of sweat pop on his forehead. Was she asking him to do what he **thought** she was asking him to do? Heavens! "Do you mean, that is, I hope I'm not being forward in asking this, but---"

Amelia cut him off. "Yes. Yes! I need you to unfasten my damn bra."

"Oh dear!" Delbert nearly groaned. "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear..."

It was then that Amelia realized that Delbert was just as frightened, just as nervous, just as excited as she undoubtedly was. "It's all right, Delbert. Just unfasten it, and I'll take care of the rest," she assured him.

Delbert nearly fainted in relief. For a moment---no, he didn't want to think on that! "Oh, of course! Silly me," he told her. He ran his fingers up her smooth back until her found the outline of her brassiere strap.

It was now Amelia's turn to gasp, and she closed her eyes tightly as the thrill of his touch sent chills up and down her spine. Oh, dear God, she thought to herself, biting her lower lip so as not to groan aloud. And, then... much to her relief, and her disappointment (she blushed), she felt him press the closure together, unhooking her bra. "Thank you, Delbert," she husked in relief.

"It was my pleasure," Delbert told her without thinking. He then blinked and gasped. "Oh dear... I didn't mean--- That is---" Delbert stammered quickly.

Amelia began to chuckle and then turned around, her feelings showing in her most expressive, and lovely green eyes. "Delbert Doppler, you are undoubtedly the most charming man I've ever met," she told him as she put her arms about his waist and held him to herself. She smiled when she felt his arms go about her and hold her close. They remained like that for several minutes, then Amelia released him, and gently pushed him away from her. "Now, I think it high time for me to let you go, you dear man. Good night, Delbert," she told him, reaching up to kiss him lightly on his cheek.

"Good night, Amelia. Sweet dreams," Delbert replied, smiling that goofy smile he so often had around Amelia. He waved to her, just a bit silly, and promptly proceeded to run nose first into her wall. "Sorry!" he declared, holding a hand over his smarting muzzle. He then found the door and was gone, gently closing the door behind himself.

Amelia finished changing into her nightgown, and took a seat before her nightstand. She took up her favorite brush and began her nightly ritual of brushing her hair fifty strokes, when seemingly out of the air, a message appeared in her lap. "What's this?" she questioned, opening the paper message. She immediately recognised Kitty's distinctive handwriting, and proceeded to read her message.

"Next time," the message read, "could you two snog a bit more quietly. Others of us would like to sleep!"

"Droll, Kitty. Very droll," Amelia said, then wrote the same on Kitty's note, shoving the slip of paper back under her door. In a moment, Amelia heard a small chuckle come from Kitty's room, before she laid back and fell asleep in the comfortable down bed Delbert had so thoughtfully provided her.


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

And...so it went, week after week...

Amelia and Delbert grew more and more fond of each other, until finally one day Delbert gathered up his courage, and asked Amelia to marry him.

Initially, Amelia's answer was to look down dumbfounded at the kneeling Doctor, who's facial expression went from one of eager adoration, to one of near panic and barely repressed dejection. Amelia blinked just then, then a brilliant smile blossomed on her lovely face, and she leaned down to press her lips to Delbert's, before saying, "Yes. Yes, I shall become your wife."

Delbert knelt there, looking up at his Amelia, all his love expressed in his warm brown eyes, thinking that if angels had voices, then they must sound precisely like his Amelia's. "Oh," was all he could manage at first, then... "You will? Oh, merciful heavens! You will! Oh, Amelia!" And with that he leapt to his feet and pulled Amelia to himself in whirled her about in his exultation.

"Delbert Doppler, put me down," Amelia instructed after Delbert's sixth whirl. "You're making me quite dizzy." But then, she laughed...a warm, rich, pleasant laugh of a woman in love.

Delbert resumed control of his wild emotions, and straightened his suit jacket. "Ahem. I have something for you, Amelia, my love," he told her, fishing a blue velvet covered box from his vest pocket. He opened the box almost reverently, displaying a simple yet extremely elegant diamond engagement ring.

Amelia gasped as she spied the diamond, which was larger than the ring itself. "Delbert....oh, it's perfect," she told in whispered tones of awe. Her nearly perfect moment was somewhat delayed as she heard a very familiar whistling of a very familiar tune. She looked up and over to see Kitty, who leaned roguishly against the wall of the doorway, whistling innocently to the tune of the wedding march.

However, Amelia was to far too happy to care about Kitty´s antics. In fact, Amelia nearly rushed over to show Kitty her ring, and to tell her, "He did it! He asked me to marry him! Can you believe it?" Amelia confided to her adoptive sister.

"I know," Kitty told her, returning Amelia's fond hug. "If you recall, I told you that already..." Kitty smiled then, knowing she had the perfect gift picked out for Amelia, when she came back from her honeymoon, that is.

Soon things began to come and go in a rush that nearly approached the speed of light, it seemed...far faster than anyone coud seem to keep track of. Dresses had to be ordered and fitted...much to Kitty's complaint that she didn't much like wearing dresses, as she thought they made her look like a Barbie Doll (or, at least that was what she said). But her complaints availed her nought, as both Amelia and Sarah gushed about how they thought she looked just darling in her rose pink dress.

Delbert and Jim bought dress coats (Jim complained about this, saying he felt as if he looked like a penguin). Then, they were off next to reserve a church, order the wedding cake, as well as---of course!---sending out invitations to all their friends and family.

When they finished all of that, Kitty suddenly remembered a friend she hadn't seen in quite some time. "Amelia?" she said suddenly across the table, where Amelia had just sealed a envelope, one addressed to Delbert's Aunt Elayne.

"Yes, dear?" Amelia said, looking over toward Kitty.

Kitty flicked her gaze down and away, asking somewhat bashfully, "Do you think it would be all right if I, well, er, invited Alex to your wedding?"

Amelia stopped writing on her next invitation. She looked up, smiling as she saw that Kitty's face was now a most becoming pink...and smiled a small triumphant little smile. "Ah, I was wondering when you might ask that, dear. You still have feelings for him, do you not?"

"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH HIM!" Kitty yelled, looking up from her hands and straight into Amelia's eyes, her cheeks turning beet red. "Alex is just a friend Amelia...and you know it."

"Ah, but of course," Amelia said wisely saying nothing. She gave Kitty the paper they used to write their invitations. "Here you are, dear. Now, do remember to inform him that this function requires formal attire...you know, tuxedos or suit and tie for the gentlemen, as well as long dresses for the ladies. That is, if he'd like to inviting his family along with him."

Kitty smiled and ran out, leaving Sarah with Amelia. Sarah turned to Amelia. "All right. Who´s this Alex?" she asked, brimming with curiosity.

"One Alexander Dalley," Amelia informed her. "One of my cabin boys during his Academy days. He meet Kitty on her first voyage aboard the Legacy, you see. They are of the same age, and Kitty---though wild bullyadouos could not drag it out of her---fell in love with this attractive young man almost at once. She---and I quote---informs me constantly that she´s just his 'friend'. Like I'm ever going to believe that..."

It was just as well for Amelia that Kitty was out of earshot just then, finishing the invitation, and smiled. She closed the envelop, stood up, and then teleported, reappearing just outside Alexander's house. She knocked on the door politely and chose to cover her face by pulling down a hat she conjured from seemingly out of nowhere.

Alex opened the door. Alexander---and it had to be him, by the way that Kitty's heart was pounding---had turned from a teenage boy into a very handsome young man in the time that they had spent apart. He had began to grow whiskers in his face (felinid boys' way of growing a mustache), though his eyes were still the same lovely deep intense blue that Kitty loved. He still was slim, though now he was tall and muscular as well. He looked over at Kitty and said politely, "Yes? May I help you?"

"A letter, sir," Kitty said, disguising her voice, and gave him the envelope. He frowned in curiosity, took it, and read it aloud. "Alexander Dalley and Family...you all are cordially invited to the wedding of Captain Amelia Smollet and Doctor Delbert Doppler." He shook his head, grinning a half-smile that made Kitty smile. "Huh! The Captain's getting married, huh?" he said to himself, chuckling. "I'd be willing to bet a hundred crontars that Kitty Petro had something to do with this..."

"Yeah, ain´t I just a doll?" Kitty asked impishly, removing her hat, and looking up into Alex face, a winsome smile on her face.

"Kitty? Is that really you?" Alex asked, surprised. She laughed and then both of them hugged each other tightly. Alex whooped and spun Kitty around in his joy, which caused Kitty to squeal happily too.

Alex looked her over then. "Well well, Kitty...my how you have changed," Alex observed rather rascally, making Kitty blush. "And for the better, I might add." Alex grinned handsomely, then laughed. "But never mind me, come on in!" Alex said.

"Sorry, I'd love to, Alex...but I really don´t have the time. But, you can join me as my guest....er, that is, if you want to," Kitty replied, realizing she was holding her breath waiting for his answer.

"Wouldn't miss it! You can count on me," Alex said, winning yet another smile from Kitty. "Say, does the Doctor have a free room? Or maybe I could just rent something in town maybe? I'd love to see the Captain again..." Alex then flicked his baby blues at Kitty, who felt her heart leap. "...and you, of course, pretty girl." He grinned again, then dashed inside to throw on a coat, and pack up a few necessary things. He locked his door, and turned to Kitty, smiling again.

"Well, Kitty...do we take the shuttle? Or, do we go that 'other' way of yours?" he asked, cleverly managing put his arm around Kitty, who blushed slightly.

"You know me...why do things the hard way unless you have to," she told him cleverly, just before the both of them teleported back to just outside the Doppler mansion.


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

When Alex saw the Doppler mansion, he whistled in wonder.

"Delbert's an astrophysicist, you see," Kitty said by way of explanation. She reached the door, opened it, and led him inside. As they made their way along to the living room, Kitty asked Alex to stay out of sight until she whistled for him. She then headed into the living room, and Alex, from his vantage point, could clearly hear the Captain's distinctive voice.

"Well, Kitty... are you finished with that invitation of yours?" Amelia asked, the barest hint of a smile on her lips, as she sat beside her Delbert.

"Yeah, you could say that... but, I think I've done better," Kitty said mysteriously.

"Better, you say? And, just how could you manage that particular feat, dear?" Amelia asked.

Alex heard Kitty's whistle then, and he made his way to lean cleverly against the frame of the door, so that everybody could see him. He spotted the Captain at once, seated beside a distinguished looking canid gentleman. She looked as he remembered her. Even that little smirk she always wore when she saw Kitty and him in the same room, he noticed. "Good morning, Captain," he greeted her, bowing his head respectfully.

"Ah, Alexander, how good to see you again," Amelia greeted him in return, getting to her feet and coming over to shake his hand. "It has been a rather long time, don´t you agree?"

"Of course, Captain. It´s good to see you again," Alex smiled as he saw the striking engagement ring on her finger. "I see congratulations are in order then, Captain?" he said, smirking.

"Thank you, young man. That's very nice of you to say," Delbert replied, smiling as he came up behind Amelia, putting his arms around her waist. Amelia smiled a genuine smile, then leaned over to kiss his cheek affectionately.

"Hmm, then you'd be Doctor Doppler, I trust?" Alex asked. Delbert nodded, pleased to be recognized. "It's a real pleasure to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is all min, Mr. Dalley," Delbert said. "A friend of Kitty's is a friend of mine. Besides which, Amelia have told us all a great deal about you. All of it good, I assure you..."

"Which means none of it's true, of course," Kitty teased, but sent a scowl at Amelia. Alex and the Doctor both chuckled appreciatively.

"Of course, dear. Whatever you say," Amelia said.

Alex laughed good-naturedly. "So, she still hasn't given up at playing matchmaker, hmm?" he asked.

"Nope, Alex... some things never change," Kitty replied. "Now, come on and I´ll show you to your room."

"Oh, Kitty? The room next to yours is free for him to use," Amelia suggested.

Kitty grit her teeth, scowling. "Amelia, if you don´t can the clever remarks, I swear I am going to stuff you inside a cupboard!" Kitty warned her voice full of menace.

"Testy, testy. Understood," Amelia told her.

Sarah frowned, not understanding the cryptic commentary. "Lock you inside a cupboard?" Sarah asked.

"Look Sarah, Amelia has acute claustrophobia," Kitty said. "Just lock her inside any room smaller than six square meters, and she'll start hyperventilating and sweating in just moments." And with that remark, Kitty turned on her heel and led Alex up to his room.

Jim turned to Amelia, his eyes still a bit wide. "I can't believe it. You actually do have a weakness. Who'd of thought it?"

Amelia glared daggers at him for that.

"Okay, okay... don´t get all bent out of shape," Jim said and decided to leave, feeling uncomfortable under Amelia's emerald glare.

"Be nice, dear," Delbert advised her, before kissing his wife in affectionately.

"Very well... but only because you asked," Amelia replied, then turned and kissed him soundly on the mouth.

"Great... there goes my dinner," a voice stated from the door. Kitty had returned from apparantly showing Alex around in the house.

"Kitty, you are tweny-eight years old... if you cannot get used to engaged or married people kissing each other, then you´ll never find love anywhere," Sarah told her.

"Hey, that works for me... because if I have my way, I´m going to be a virgin until the day I die," Kitty proclaimed, which shocked nearly everyone... well, with the possible exception of Amelia, who had heard this all before.

"But, Kitty, your boyfriend would surely want to become a father someday, wouldn't he?" Sarah said, shocked.

"Well, as to that, here´s some news for you, Sarah. I´m never going to have a boyfriend, i´m never going to get married, I´m never having sex, and most importantly, i´m not having any children...period. End of story."

Sarah's eyes went wide with shock.

"Delbert, perhaps you could show Alex here to your observatory?" Amelia asked politely.

Delbert caught Amelia's look, and nodded, following her lead. "Of course! How thoughtless of me. Come along, Alex my boy... this you've got to see!" Delbert put a hand on Alex's shoulder and led the boy away, chatting all the while.

Amelia and Sarah turned toward Kitty. "Do sit down, Kitty," Amelia said, after locking the door to the living room.

"Sorry, I´d rather stand, thanks," Kitty said petulantly. Then she snapped her fingers, and a glass of cool water appeared, which she promptly gave to Sarah, who seemed as if she were going to faint any moment.

Amelia looked at Kitty in apparent exasperation. "Now, dear..." she began, but Kitty cut her off just as quickly.

"All right, before you start in on me, let's get a few things straight, okay? Here's what I find wrong with having a boyfriend. First off, all that kissing is revolting, and the very thought of having sex is absolutely disgusting," Kitty informed the two ladies rather bluntly.

Sarah looked over Kitty, her expression a bit put out with Kitty. "I see. So you don´t ever want to have a man that loves you for who you are; a man who will comfort you when your down, and who will let you know your always there for him...all because you don´t like kissing?" she asked, shaking her head in dismay.

Kitty was in a foul mood suddenly. "That all sounds great, true. But, I got two words that will counter your argument, Sarah," Kitty growled, turning on her. "Leland Hawkins."

Sarah gasped, and tears appeared in her eyes, her face going deathly pale. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Sarah got to her feet. In a shaky voice, she politely told the two felinids, "If you'll both excuse me a moment..." and rushed from the room, closing the door behind herself.

Amelia now turned to Kitty, her green eyes blazing. "Now that was most uncalled for, Kitty!" she hissed.

Kitty was unmoved... though, deep inside she was a bit sorry for making Sarah so upset. But, she stuck to her guns. "See?" Kitty said. "What did I tell you? I don´t want to risk anything like that happening...ever."

"Come now, Kitty," Amelia attempted to reason. "Not all men are like Sarah's husband. Most of them are rather good people, really. For example, you do know that Alex isn't like that, don't you?" Amelia said.

That was exactly the wrong thing to say to Kitty that moment. "I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH ALEXANDER DALLEY!" Kitty screeched at the top of her lungs, her face red with her fury. This was the first time she had really lost her cool.

"I see," Amelia said calmly in the brunt of Kitty's stormy reply. "And what your future plans... do you ever intend on marrying?"

"Amelia, you apparently haven't been listening to me. As I won´t have any boyfriends, just who in the hell do you think I´m going to get married to?" Kitty shot back a bit visciously.

"I stand corrected then," Amelia replied a bit stiffly, but stood her ground. "And what about your physical urges then? Hmm? Plan on carrying out your plans of not ever having sex then as well?"

"Damn straight! Look... In fact, er... never mind," Kitty said. "Sure, it nice to appreciate a guy from the waist up, but... lower than that, I think not," she said, shivering from the thought. "Besides, I don´t want any children... so that won't be a problem for me. And, before you even start, even with all the preventive pills and all that, there's nothing that's one hundred percent certain. So, the only way I would even think of having sex is if I had myself sterilized."

"But, Kitty... you don´t intend to do that, do you?" Amelia asked, truly stunned by the turn this conversation had taken.

"No can do, Sis. Way too expensive for me," Kitty informed her.

"I see. So, you are telling me that if it had been inexpensive, you would of had this done then?" Amelia countered, trying to figure out what was going on.

Kitty nodded emphatically. "You catch on quick, Amelia," Kitty said.

"So, then you shall never have children then, I take it? Doesn't that bother you... even a little bit?" Amelia asked gently, trying to elicit some maternal reaction from her dear sister.

Kitty snorted derisively. "No thanks. Children... all they are are small little screaming machines that will wake you up all night. And, if that weren't bad enough, you having to continually change stinking diapers all day, even into the wee hours of the dawn. And I won't even begin to tell you my feelings on breast feeding," Kitty remarked.

Amelia blinked several times during Kitty's dialogue, somewhat stunned at her friend's vehemence.

"Then, keep in mind that even before all that, you have to carry that thing inside your womb for three quarters of a year, and then when the time comes, essentially push it out, which has just got to feel feeling like your delivering an apartment building, complete with verandas? No, thank you... I´d rather not."

It was then that Sarah returned, looking better, but her cheeks were still a bit flushed. "So, have you made any headway with her, Amelia?" she asked.

"No, she has not, Sarah," Kitty informed her, crossing her arms before her chest. Amelia---with Kitty's razor sharp commentary---quickly filled her in.

"Kitty, please listen to me," Sarah pleaded, trying to get this girl to come to her senses. "I'll admit raising Jim was hard the first few months. But please think on this... here is a life, a brand new life that you helped to create. That baby will always be your child, a part of you. You have no idea how powerful and fulfilling that feeling was to me."

Kitty was still unconvinced. "I never will either," Kitty said stubbornly. "Sorry, Sarah, but that's only a part of it though, isn't it? If my memory serves me right, your 'bundle of joy' later on nearly had got himself a one way ticket to juvernile hall. I bet that was fun, huh?"

Sarha sighed. "What can I say, Kitty? No one is perfect," she reasoned.

"Exactly my point, you two!" Kitty said then triumphantly. "If that's the case, then kindly stop trying to tell me how to live my life!" Kitty said, then got to her feet, her held held high, and turned to walk out the door.

"Hmm, I'm of the opinion that didn't work nearly as well as we had hoped, Sarah," Amelia remarked to her friend. She then cleared her throat, and called out in her best quarterdeck voice. "Kitty Petro, halt! I want you here, front and center, immediately!"

Kitty's shoulders sagged, but she did turn back around and sullenly moved before Amelia, who stood scowling at her.

"It is your life---as you've so eloquently informed us both---but, that certainly does not give you the right to be rude and nasty to Sarah. She has shown you nothing but kindness since we've come here, and this is how you intend to repay her? I daresay the least you can do is to apologize for your hurtful remarks," Amelia demanded, driving each point home. Kitty winced, realizing that perhaps she had been a bit too forceful in trying to get her points across.

Kitty turned to Sarah, who was trying to look brave, but her blue eyes seemed to glisten with unshed tears. Kitty hung her head, then sighed and turned around to face the music. "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, Sarah," Kitty told her, and meant every word of it. "But... you've got to realize that I don´t want a life as a wife or a mother. I´d much rather remain free, knowing that I can go where I want to without anybody being worried to death about me, and not having any responsibilities. Besides, I don't think I'd like---if they died---missing my husband or children. Sorry, Sarah... but that´s just not for me."

Sarah looked up into Kitty's equally blue eyes. "I understand that, Kitty. And, I do forgive you, dear... you were just angry," Sarah replied, kind as always. Even as Amelia nodded, and opened the door to let Kitty go, Sarah decided that what Amelia had told her had been true. Kitty was far too stubborn for her own good in things such as these. Sarah then smiled as Amelia sat down beside her, taking her hand, trying to help her into a better mood.


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

It wen´t a few weeks and nothing special happened. Well nothing except the usual things that always happened when Kitty and Alex were around each other. Amelia continued to play matchmaker and Kitty become more and more irritated. One time she and Alex ran towards the kitchen to get some breakfast, Kitty stumbled in the floor carpet and lost her balance and grabbed the first thing she got, which ofcourse was Alex waist. Amelia came by then and turned on her heel and shaked her head starting to softly hum the tune to the wedding march. Then Alex had to hold Kitty back by her tail to make her not jump on Amelia. Kitty understood that even if Alex held her back she coud use her voice. ONE MORE WORD AMELIA AND IT´S A 1 MINUTE STAY INNSIDE A CUPBOARD, DO YOU HEAR ME? Amelia just raised her hands innocently. Later on the day everybody sat innside the living room and talked. The next week was to be Amelia and Delbert's wedding day, and Amelia sat upp on Delbert´s lap kissing him soundly everywhere she coud.

Kitty grimaced disgusted every time. I´ll go get something to eat she said and lifted herself upp from the chair she sat in. I can't stand being here any much more. Amelia stopped kissing Delberts mouth and turned towards Kitty. You woud´nt of said that if it had been you and Alex now woud you. That rather saucy comment was the last straw, and Kitty's temper surged. Kitty turned toward Amelia, her normally smiling face a veritbable storm cloud. Amelia just smiled and raised an eyebrow thinking that now Kitty where once again going to yell in her face. But, this time, Kitty chose not to do that. She stalked over, and quick as a snake, caught Amelia by her shirt collar, and dragged her bodily up from where she had been sitting beside Delbert. "Kitty! What is the meaning of---" Amelia squawked, but didn't finish her statement, as she saw where Kitty was forcing her toward...the nearest closet door. Amelia was many things, but she wasn't stupid. She began to struggle, pushing back to halt her progress, but to no avail. Her green eyes went wide in dismay, knowing that Kitty had threthened to do this many a time, but had never actually tried to do it. Her face paled and she continued to fight against Kitty's forceful rush.

"Oh no, you don´t!" Kitty said and Amelia felt her put her shoulder into her back and push her even harder. "You had your chance, I warned you. But did that work? No. So, now I´m afraid you don´t give me much of a choice any longer." Despite Amelia's protests and best attempts, Kitty finally had her pressed firmly against the wall beside the closet door. Kitty smiled grimly once, then yanked open the door and shoved Amelia quickly inside, swinging the door closed with a bang. "Now, enjoy your stay, Amelia...I'll let you out in one minute's time," she yelled through the door before locking it.

Ignoring Delbert's shocked and anxious looks, Kitty went calmly back to her seat, and sat down. Everyone looked over at her...thought their expression varied a great deal. Jim looked rather surprised; Alex looked over at her, shaking his head in disappointment; while Delbert wrung his hands, his eyes flicking back and forth from Kitty to the closet door---which now reverberated with thet thumping of what had to be Amelia's fists. Kitty scowled, taking in all of it...including Sarah's sad, reproachful look.

"Um, Kitty?" Alex stated a bit quietly.

"Don't worry so much. It´s only been like...twenty seconds or so," Kitty told him disarmingly.

The hammering on the door grew in intensity. "Kitty, I believe you've made your point. Now, do be a dear and release her," Delbert protested, getting to his feet.

"Nothing doing, Doc. I warned her again and again, but she chose to not listen to me. So, now I'm not going to listen to her...or any of you either," Kitty declared.

"Kitty!" Sarah exclaimed, with just a hint of panic. "Amelia can die if you keep her in there too long." Delbert had already moved to the door and was using both of his hands to try to wrest the door open...but without any success.

Kitty rolled her eyes at them all, then sighed and shot a look at her watch. "All right, all right...it's been a minute," she said and got to her feet. Delbert still wrestled with the door, his shoulders jerking as he tried his utmost to release his lady love from her prison. Kitty smiled at this, touched, but just grabbed Delbet by his shoulders and bodily moved him out of the way. "Leave it to me, Doc," she told him. She snapped her fingers, unlocking the door, jerked the door open, and saw Amelia on the floor, curled up and panting like the bellows. Kitty shook her head, reached down and hooked Amelia under her arms and pulled her out of the closet.

Amelia opened her panicked eyes, looking up, her forehead a sheen of cold sweat. "Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again," Amelia stammered as she got her breathing back closer to normal, and her jangled nerves began to calm. Delbert was at her side in an instant, his concern obvious in his eyes. He helped Kitty to get Amelia to her feet, and then helped her over to the sofa. Sarah appeared a moment later, and gave Amelia a glass of water, as well as comforting hand on her shoulder.

Kitty knew most---if not everyone---was none too happy with her "lesson", but she set her jaw, and stubbornly continued. "Now, the next time you feel the urge to say something clever about me and Alex as anything more than just friends, just you think about another trip in that closet," she said. "And...just so you know beforehand, next time it'll be for two minutes."

Amelia sipped her water, but nodded her head in mute acceptance. Delbert knelt beside her, his expression worried while he gently ran his hand up and down Amelia's back. Amelia smiled at her husband to be, gaining strength from his comforting presence beside her.

Jim walked over, eyeing the good Captain with concern. "Are you...all right, Captain?" he asked. "I mean, it can't of been too bad now, could it, ma'am?"

Amelia cast an irritated glare his way, but it was so weak that Jim didn't even flinch. "I will excuse your ignorance, Mr. Hawkins...this time. Kitty knows that I suffer from acute claustrophobia. Do you have any idea at all what claustrophobia is, young man?" she asked him.

Jim didn't have a clue, and said as much. "Nope, sorry, Ma'am, I don't," Jim answered. Jim hesitated then, then cleared his throat, and worked up the courage to ask, "Um...why don´t you tell me what's it's like, Captain..."

Amelia sighed, gave Jim a searching sort of look a moment, but finally nodded. "Let's see if I can make you understand, James," Amelia began, thinking to herself. "It's not small room that bothers me...well, for the most part it isn't. I can endure that. However, if you combine that small room, such as that beastly closet, and then shut the door..." Amelia shuddered at the thought, which prompted Delbert to caress her shoulders again. Amelia smiled thankfully up at him, then took a deep breath and continued. "It feels, Mr. Hawkins, as if the very walls grow nearer and nearer, each and every second, until I find it difficult to breathe, the walls squeezing in all around me. It is then that the sense of panic begins...crushing the very breath from my lungs. Even in the darkness, the walls continue to ever close in on me, drawing closer and closer with every single breath. I then begin to sweat, feeling as if I cannot get out soon I shall go mad with despair! I rationally know that there is sufficient space...but, I cannot help the feeling of constriction, the feeling that I am being...well, buried alive somehow..." Amelia could not finish after that...her breathing becoming labored again.

"Sssh, Amelia. There, there, everything is all right," Delbert whispered to Amelia, trying to calm her again, gently rubbing her back.

Jim gulped, and felt---even for a fraction of a minute---the flicker of constriction, the fluttering feeling of fear that Amelia had to endure---and didn't like it at all. "I---I think I understand, Captain," Jim said shakily. Amelia just wearily nodded to the young man.

"A bit much, don't you think?" Alex then whispered quietly to Kitty, who was drinking a glass of water just then. "I mean, she was only teasing us, you know..." Alex was a kind young man, and it pained him to see Amelia put through such an ordeal...especially for something on his---as well as Kitty's---behalf.

Kitty just huffed and continued to drink her water.


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The next morning, perhaps because of Alex's observation of her behavior, Kitty acted a good deal nicer to Amelia.

Amelia, for her part, decided to lay off her matchmaker role. Kitty knew this was due to her threat, as well as Amelia's scare in the closet. Kitty watched each time she and Alex did something potentially "couple-ish", to see Amelia open her mouth to put in a word, only to stop short, casting an uneasy glance toward the nearest closet door. She would then shudder slightly, and shut her mouth completely.

The day started out nice and calm. Kitty got up from her chair at precisely noon unexpectantly, drawing a curious glance from Alex. She grinned at him, and mysteriously said that she had something important she simply had to do, and with that, disappeared out the door. Alex shook his head briefly, then shrugged and grinned. That was just the way Kitty was, he mused, and headed toward the kitchen to get himself some lunch.

Once outside, and away from the mansion, Kitty made her way quickly down to a, for the most part, deserted section of Montressor proper. "This will be perfect," she mumbled to herself. She then snapped her fingers sharply, and prayed to God that what she wanted to do would happen.

Seemingly right before her very eyes, a spark of bright yellow light appeared. It shimmered and grew steadily before the wondering Kitty. Then, to her absolute delight, the amorphous light began to take on a shape... a roughly humanoid shape of a very large figure. The figure stopped growing and began to coalesce into just what Kitty had hoped for, in her heart of hearts.

"It worked!" Kitty squealed happily, clasping her hands together in glee. She looked at the tall man standing there... a Cragorian of nearly giant proportions. "Good old Sylvester Arrow," Kitty murmured, wanting to throw up her hands and dance. He was back... Kitty and Amelia's friend, and the nearest thing Kitty had ever had to a father.

Arrow blinked, not quite understanding where he was until he felt something thump soundly into his chest, a pair of slender arms going about his waist.

"Arrow?" Kitty whispered. "Down here..."

Arrow didn't look down, as he was looking in wonder at his hand, where the last flicker of the bright yellow light winked out, disappearing. He smiled, then looked down to the slight woman doing her best to turn him into some gigantic teddy bear. "Hello there, Kitty," he rumbled happily, hugging her back... though very gently.

She looked up into his face, lines of happy tears streaming down her face.

"Kitty?" Arrow rumbled anew. "Why do you cry, dear?"

Kitty decided to leave that explanation for later on. "Because it´s so great to see you again, you big lug!" Kitty declared, wiping at her eyes.

"I am extraordinarily glad to see you again," Arrow told her.

"Ditto, Arrey," Kitty said, hugging him again.

"You have the most unusual way of saying things, Kitty," Arrow observed, which only made Kitty laugh.

The two old friends talked for a while. Kitty tried to explain why she had had to let him die, tears of sadness flooding her big blue eyes. Arrow, being the generous spirit he was, forgave her without hesitation, and soothed the distraught young woman's guilt. Once she composed herself once more, she explained to him just what had happened after he 'left' (she couldn't bring herself to say 'die' any more), and the shocking news that Amelia was now engaged to be married...and to none other than Delbert Doppler, PhD.

"So, since I just had to give Amy something special for her wedding day, I thought to myself, what would she want... more than anything? Well, that decided it right there! If I had the power to do it... I decided **you** would be my wedding gift," Kitty explained.

Arrow smiled, then chuckled merrily. "I daresay that the Captain will be sufficiently surprised, Kitty," he foretold, which caused Kitty to laugh and hug the big man again. "Now, now. Shouldn't we be off to see her then?" he said.

Kitty smiled and nodded happily, taking Arrow by the hand, and leading him back to the stately Doppler mansion.

"My goodness! I had no idea," Arrow proclaimed, whistled softly, just as Alex had done, at the size of the mansion. "Well, it appears that the Captain´s not in any immediate financial danger," he said cleverly, and Kitty had to laugh.

"No," she agreed. "If you think this is grand... ask her to see her engagement ring, Arrow. That sucker has a diamond that's bigger than the ring itself!"

Kitty led the way, taking Arrow by the hand, and they walked within. She heard Amelia's clear voice right away, and grinning mischieviously, she led Arrow over to stand just outside of Amelia's vision, leaving him with instructions that he was not to come before she called for him. He nodded and Kitty calmed herself, then walked sedately into the living room.

"Hey, Amy!" she called out loudly, and Amelia looked up from the conversation she was having with Sarah.

"Yes, Kitty?" she said, then added. "And, please don't call me 'Amy'... you know how I despise that."

Kitty grinned. "Right. Now... do you think it would be all right... if I, say, gave you your wedding gift, let's say, just a bit early?"

Amelia thought a moment, then smiled indulgently. "Of course you may, dear," Amelia said smiling at her.

"Good!" Kitty said and smiled, very mysteriously indeed. Amelia frowned at that look.

Kitty then whistled sharply just once, and Arrow walked into the living room, like Amelia's seeing him was an everyday sort of thing. He had to stifle a laugh as Delbert, Jim and Amelia all looked at him as if he were a ghost. "Ah, Good morning Captain," he greeted her cordially. "Am I not correct in hearing that congratulations are in order?"

Amelia shot out of her chair in a flash, dashing over to Arrow to throw herself into his arms, hugging him around his chest just as Kitty had done. "Oh Arrow! Is it really you?" She asked, afraid to hope.

"Yes, Amelia... it's really me," Arrow assured her, bending down to gently kiss her upon her brow.

Amelia began to weep happy tears, her tears streaming down her face. "Oh, Arrow, I´ve missed you!" she managed to whisper after a while.

"I know. As I have missed you too, my Captain," Arrow said, hugging Amelia back.

After a while, Amelia released her hold on Arrow, and she looked up wonderingly into his face.

Arrow ran the back of one thick finger against her smooth cheek. "My, my... I have gone for but a few months time, and already you´re developing into a glorious lady, my friend," Arrow told her.

Amelia could only smile and blush at his observation. Arrow smiled and continued. "Engaged to be married, and to a doctor, no less! And soon be a wife, as well! Will wonders never cease, I ask you?"

"Shut up, Arrow," Amelia countered, grinning. "You're making me blush."

Arrow chuckled, then added, "Who knows? Perhaps, one day, you´ll make me an uncle..."

Amelia smiled at that, then cast a loving glance Delbert's way. "Well, Arrow, old man... I can´t promise you anything, but I´ll see what I can do," she said.

Kitty, who by now had sat down next to Alex, laughed at that. Arrow heard her happy laughter, and looked over toward where she and Alex sat, and smiled. "So, Kitty, I see you've brought back one more of your old friends, hmm?"

"Oh, shut up, Arrow," Kitty said, blushing deep red.

Now it was Alex's turn to laugh, though he did so quickly, so as to not embarrass Kitty any longer. Arrow smiled, then held out his hand to him. "A pleasure to see you again, Alexander," Arrow said.

"Same here, Mr. Arrow," Alex said. "After what Kitty told me, I´m lucky to be able to meet you at all."

"Well," Arrow said with a smile towards Kitty. "Well, I've always said thank heaven Kitty fell in with us."

Amelia, Alex, Arrow and Kitty all laughed in rememberance, while Delbert, Jim and Sarah just looked strangely at them all. "Excuse me," Delbert ventured. "But why do I feel as if I'm missing something here?"


	37. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The days seemed to whisk by, and soon it was the day just before Amelia and Delbert's upcoming wedding. Kitty and Sarah insisted on throwing a bachelorette party for Amelia.

"I beg your pardon," Amelia said quite primly, drawing herself up to her full height. "A **what**?"

Kitty and Sarah assured Amelia that she would both enjoy herself, and each grabbing an elbow, they escorted the somewhat unsettled Captain out of her house, and caught the first transport to downtown Benbow. The transport let the three girls off in a better part of town, and Amelia soon found herself being led to a reputable pub called the Golden Galleon.

"Now, see here," Amelia protested, though weakly..at least for her. "If you two think for even a single moment that..."

Kitty cut her off before she could get into a rhythm. "Loosen up, Amelia. Bachelorette parties are an important tradition," she explained, even as she urged her friend inside and toward a table reserved for them all in the back.

"A tradition, you say?" Amelia replied, feeling a bit better. After all, she was a spacer first and foremost, and spacers were sticklers for tradition. "Well, then... I suppose it would be all right..."

The pub keeper smiled upon seeing his guests. "Good evenin' to yeh all, me fine bonny ladies!" he began. He was human fellow, a bit stout, with bright red hair and a friendly, gregarious manner that set Amelia at ease. "What would yer Ladyship's pleasure be this fine evenin', then?"

Sarah took care of ordering. "I'm Sarah, and I think I'll have a Mango Mandalay. This is Amelia, and she's the girl of the hour. I think... no, I know! She'll have a Golden Drubloon." Sarah turned to Kitty. Ordinarily, she would of ordered for her as well, but... experience had taught her that Kitty liked things her own way, none other. "Kitty? What would you like to order, dear?"

Kitty smiled at Sarah's courtesy. "I don't much care for alcoholic beverages, Sarah. So... I'll just stick with a glass of chilled purp juice, thanks."

Sarah, when Kitty was talking with Amelia, whispered to the owner that he should keep the drinks coming. Sarah soon found out that Amelia could certainly hold her liquor. Poor Sarah's head was woozy, and she found she couldn't keep from giggling at the littlest thing. Amelia was feeling no pain either, the serene look on her face a definite clue of her current state.

"Kitty," slurred Amelia to her friend. "Yer like... hic... the sis-sis-sister I never had." Amelia leaned over and bussed Kitty noisily on the cheek.

Kitty laughed, then kissed Amelia back. "Thanks, Sis. Oh, incidentally... in case you're wondering... you're drunk as a skunk. And... I mean that in a very caring way." Kitty shook with mirth.

"Drunk? Me?" Amelia slurred indignantly. She squared her shoulders, and tried to give Kitty a baleful stare. However, in trying to do so, she found the whole thing ludicriously funny, and began to giggle. Which only set off Sarah, and the two girls held each other up as they laughed.

"Hey! Amy?" Kitty said to Amelia, more to stop them from giggling like school girls than anything else. However, she did have an ulterior motive in mind as well. When she had Amelia's attention... finally, she asked. "Say, have you ever thought of getting your ears pierced? I've got the prettiest set of emerald earrings, and they'd look smashing on you... if only you had pierced ears..."

Amelia thought a moment. "Sure!" Amelia replied a moment later, still a bit tipsy. "Why not, I say! Fortune favors the bold!"

Sarah frowned. "Hey! What about me, Kitty?" Sarah demanded, having to uncross her eyes to do so. "I'm tired of being so conventional. Say, do you think you could well, find a place to give me a tattoo tonight?"

Kitty could scarcely believe her pointed ears. "Well, sure," Kitty replied happy, but more than a little surprised. "Exactly what did you have in mind, Sarah?"

In less than an hour later, Kitty was walking her two friends about town, Amelia with both her ears pierced, and Sarah sporting a tattoo on her upper bicep that consisted of a little heart with the name Jim inside of it. Kitty winced on occassion as the two ladies sang raucously any number of space chanties that Amelia could remember.

Their penchant for singing led them all to a few other places as well. Most of them, unfortunately for Kitty, were karaoke bars, and quite frankly, the patrons of those establishments nearly cheered when Kitty insisted they move on.

Kitty heaved a sigh of relief when the clock finally struck midnight. "All right, you two... back home we go," Kitty informed her two inebriated companions. Kitty helped the two women back to the mansion, having to endure their drunken singing all the way home.

Once inside, Kitty was met by Delbert, who simply smiled and shook his head. "I hadn't realized one could even hit such a note," he mused as he collected the now very sleepy Amelia into his arms and carried her to the sofa in the living room.

Amelia awoke en route, and realizing Delbert was carrying her, said in a husky soft voice, "Hello there, sweetheart. Does this mean we can play 'Captain and the Pirate' again? Hmm?"

Delbert blushed deeply at that. "Um, uh, no. Not tonight, love," he told her quietly. "Four's a crowd, don't you think?"

"The more's the merrier," Amelia intoned, then giggled. Delbert sighed, shaking his head again.

"Whatever you say, dear," he told her, more to pacify her than anything else. "Amelia, my dear, you smell as if you've fallen headfirst into a brewer's vat," Delbert murmured, wincing at the smell of alcohol on his lady love's breath. "Hello? What have we here?" Delbert then asked, noticing that Amelia had pierced her lovely ears. "Kitty?" he added, glancing meaningfully at her.

Kitty held up her hands in her own defense. "Oh no. She did it before I could stop her. You know how she can be," Kitty said innocent.

Delbert sighed then, taking Kitty at her word. "Very well then," Delbert said and so he and Kitty helped the two other up to their respective rooms.

The next morning, Kitty was rudely awakened by a menacing growl coming from Amelia's room. She opened her eyes blearily when she heard her door slam opened, and before she knew it, Amelia had hauled her bodily from her bed, and slammed her rather abruptly up against the wall, her expression dangerous.

Kitty smiled, which sort of took Amelia back a bit. "Look, if all this is about you getting your ears pierced, remember that it was you did it, not me," Kitty told her.

Amelia scowled, allowing Kitty back down, her hand going to the small, pink holes in the bottom of each ear. "This is still all your fault, you know," Amelia growled. "If you hadn't plied me with all those vile concoctions, I'd of never let soemthing like **this** happen."

"Aw, now don't be that way, Amy," Kitty soothed, still grinning.

"Quit calling me Amy, you insufferable little rogue," Amelia groused, glaring her way.

"Oops. Amelia, c'mon... you look great with these," Kitty said, holding up the pair of emerald earrings. "They really bring out the color of your eyes, you know."

Amelia snatched the beautiful earrings from Kitty's hand, and gingerly fitted them into her ears. She then looked at herself in the mirror, and grunted when she saw they truly did look quite smashing on her. But, she wasn't letting Kitty off that easily... oh no! She lifted a warning finger up to Kitty, and said in most irritated whisper, "If this wasn't my wedding day, you wretch, I would see to it that you, my dear, would get a full facial and complete make-up job, am I clear on this?" Amelia observed, stressing the last bit of her statement for Kitty's benefit.

Kitty swallowed hard at that. She might be twenty-eight years old, but she was still essentially a tomboy at heart. That being the case, the threat of a facial and the use of make-up, perfume and dresses could almost make her feel ill. "Understood," Kitty answered a bit surly.

"Good," Amelia said, relenting now that she had made her point. "Now, my sister the tomboy, you get into your dress smartly," Amelia said and pushed her back to her bed.

"Amelia?" Kitty said, causing Amelia to turn around to meet her gaze.

"Yes? What is it? You may not realize this... but, I'm a rather busy girl this day," Amelia told her. "After all, it's not every day a girl gets married now, is it?"

Kitty laughed. "No, I imagine not. Oh, here!" Kitty said and threw her a pair of sparkling diamond earrings to Amelia. "These will go much better with your wedding dress than those emerald ever will." Kitty smiled, reached out to pat Amelia fondly on the cheek, then winked at her. Amelia could only smile, shake her head, and turn to get on with her preparations.

Later on, found Kitty sitting down in the living room, grumbling softly to herself. She was wearing her pink dress, complete with a pair of long white satin gloves. Kitty was really the very picture of a Maid of Honor... well, but for the dangerous scowl on her normally pretty face. She muttered---growled, really---things like 'I look like a Barbie' and 'I hope that spaceport floozie was the look Amelia was going for with this'. Then she heard someone coming down the stairs, and chose to button her lip. It wouldn't do to have Amelia suddenly eavesdrop on her just then, no sir.

She sighed in relief when she saw it was only Sarah and Jim coming down from their rooms. Jim looked with pleasant suprised upon Kitty in all her splendor.

He was just about to tell her just how pretty she looked, when...

"One word from you, buster, and you´ll be walking funny all day. Understand?" Kitty growled savagely.

"Yes, ma'am," Jim said, edging back away from Kitty.

Sarah smiled at Kitty, her blue eyes filled with wonder. "Oh... you look just wonderful, Kitty."

"No, I don't. I look like some spaceport floozy," Kitty said scowling at Sarah, who simply smiled at her.

"Whatever you say, dear," Sarah told her, then leaned over and fondly bussed her on the cheek. Kitty tried hard to scowl, but found it nearly impossible for some reason.

"How's your arm, Sarah?" Kitty asked sweetly, grinning like a hunting tiger.

"Fine, just fine, Kitty. Thank you," Sarah said, subconsciously laying a hand over where her tattoo graced her arm nervously. Kitty smiled then, knowing she'd won that match. Sarah begged their pardon, then headed off, saying she had to go check on Amelia.

"What was all that about?" Jim asked when his mother had gone.

"Your mother was, shall we say, just a bit wild last night," Kitty smiled. "We had Amelia's bachelorette party, you understand... and well, Amelia and Sarah had a bit too much alcohol. Before I could do anything to stop them, she and Amelia had gone into the nearest shop, and each got themself some little thing to remember the night by, shall we say. Sarah, your mother, now sports a lovely tattoo on her upper bicep, while Amelia now has pierced both of her ears."

"I see," Jim said with a smirk. "So, what about you?" Jim asked.

"Sorry, I don´t drink things with alcohol in them, buddy," Kitty said.

"On your feet, you two rogues!" Amelia barked from where she now stood in the door.

Kitty, quite possibly for the first time in her life, was to stunned into silence. Amelia looked... well, **gorgeous** in her wedding dress. Her long white gown was perfect, snug in the bodice, with just a bit of poof in the shoulders, the skirts flowing smoothly over Amelia's long legs. Now, add to that the earrings Kitty had given her last evening, and well... she looked like some sort of goddess. "Whoa!" Kitty whistled.

"I'll say!" Jim added, his eyes bulging. "Wow, Captain... you're---you're **beautiful**..."

"Does that seem such a stretch to you, Mr. Hawkins?" Amelia asked coyly, one perfect eyebrow arching up primly.

"No, Ma'am!" Jim said instantly, swallowing hard.

Amelia chuckled quietly in her triumph. "At ease, Mr. Hawkins. Don't you know, Jim, that every woman is lovely on her wedding day?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I can see that, Ma'am," Jim said honestly.

"He's improving, Sarah," commented Amelia to Sarah as she scurried down the stairs carrying Amelia's bouquet. "Not nearly the scruffy boy who once was my cabin boy..."

"Yes, he's coming along rather nicely, really," Sarah said proudly. She then moved over and tugged Kitty up from her place, hustling her toward the open door.

"Hey! You don't actually expect me to let everyone see me this way, do you? Geez, let me get a coat on first!" Kitty grumped.

"Whatever for, Kitty? You look breathtaking," Sarah said by way of compliment.

"Maybe," Kitty reluctantly consented. "But, even still... I´m not letting all of Montressor see me looking like some sort Barbie doll," Kitty said and with a snap of her fingers, she was suddenly dressed in a long coat that hid her entire dress. A pair of dark sunglasses covered her lovely baby blues, so nobody would recognize her out of the crowd.

Amelia shook her head. "Kitty, now don't you think that a bit much? Don't you know that everyone shall be paying attention to me, the bride? All this subterfuge is hardly necessary, you know," Amelia said. "Now, do come along. Don't make me drag you into the carriage by your ear, young lady! For I will. I will indeed!"

Kitty believed her, and grumbling to herself under her breath, she glared at them all, and stepped up into the carriage that Jim thoughtfully held open for them.

"Where's Delbert?" Kitty wanted to know as she seated herself, grumbling anew as she was forced to smooth down the skirts of her dress.

"At the church," answered Amelia tersely. "Just where he's supposed to be."

"Huh?" Kitty replied, looking over to Sarah in hope of an answer.

"It's bad luck for the groom to see his bride, Kitty, before the ceremony begins, dear," Sarah explained. "It's customary for we girls to secret Amelia away from Delbert until we hear the wedding march play."

"Oh," Kitty remarked. "Thanks, I didn't know that."

"Wish me luck, Kitty," Amelia then whispered, evidently nervous.

"You shall have only good luck, my sister," Kitty assured her. "Remember, I've sort of got the means to make that happen, sister dear."

Amelia blinked rapidly, then sniffed back a tear. "Thank you, Kitty. I love you, and I'm so glad you're here with me today."

"C'mon, Jim!" Kitty boomed, startling Jim as well as the bullyadous pulling the carriage. "Let's get this woman married before she drowns us all back here!"

Amelia gasped at that, then gave Kitty a look. The next moment she threw her arms around Kitty, hugging her close, laughing. "Kitty, Kitty, Kitty... whatever would I do without you, dear?"

Kitty could only grin at that... which was yet another first for her this day...


	38. chapter 37

Chapter 37

The carriage arrived in plenty of time at the church, and everyone dashed in, Jim going to find Delbert and Arrow, while all the ladies headed into a room where Amelia would make her final preparations for her wedding.

Kitty was quickly becoming bored silly, even with Amelia and Sarah constantly asking her for her opinion on this and that. As Sarah and Amelia shared rather wicked chuckle as Amelia donned a prim white garter on her right leg, there came a knock at the door. Kitty was thankful for the interruption, and headed over quickly to call through the closed door, "Who's there?"

"Uh, it´s…me, Kitty. Alex," Alexander's voice proclaimed.

Kitty was pleased and perplexed, all at the same time. "Alex, what the heck are you doing here? Now?" Kitty asked a bit suspiciously. "Aren't you supposed to helping Delbert?"

"Well, yes," he reluctantly admitted. "But I thought I'd stopy by and say hello to you too…"

Kitty wasn't buying that weak excuse for a single moment. "Don´t give me that, Alex," Kitty accused him, scowling as Amelia and Sarah smiled and silently laughed. "You came to see me in a dress. Isn't that right?"

"All right, all right, guilty as charged. I'll admit it," Alexander said. "I do want to see how you look."

Kitty shook her head adamantly. "Sorry, pal…you´ll just have to wait, just like everyone else. Now scoot, and make sure everything's on track. Oh, and Alex? You watch over thosee rings, you got me?"

"Yes, Ma'am," came his amused reply, before they all heard his footfalls going away.

"One word from any of you and you´ll regret it. Especially you, Amelia," Kitty warned.

"Oh quite. Whatever you say…Mrs. Dalley," Amelia teased gently, though she could see by the storm on Kitty's face, that she hadn't accepted it that way.

Kitty glowered at her, bride or not. "Amelia, there are cupboards here, you know," Kitty said. "Nice snug ones…"

Amelia canted her head a moment, shook her head, and raised her hands in an innocent gesture before Sarah made her over to Kitty. "Now now, Kitty…do relax, dear. Can you really blame Amelia for being in a such a good mood?" Sarah reasoned, her blue eyes working their magic on even the surly Kitty.

Kitty sighed. "Fine, fine," she allowed, smiling a small smile at Amelia. "Forgiven…but not forgotten."

Finally, the first bars of the Wedding March sounded, and everyone was carefully put into their proper positions, even if Amelia had to use her best quarterdeck voice to get them there. Kitty felt herself squirm in her actually rather pretty dress…she just couldn't feel comfortable in a dress. And that discomfort, she knew, would most likely only intensify when hundreds of people would be watching her. She shuddered, closed her eyes a moment, then resolved herself to her fate…for the moment.

Kitty felt warmth behind her ear, and Amelia's most familiar perfume. "Courage, sister dear," she whispered, then gently kissed Kitty's cheek in thanks.

Kitty grinned. "Ha! Courage, she says," she remarked. "I'm not the one getting married…"

Amelia only laughed and squeezed Kitty's hand. "Here we go," Amelia then said as Delbert's cousin Elizabeth and Lieutentant Dalley proceeded down the aisle, the first of the paired attendants.

"I can't wait to see Delbert's face, when he finally sees you, Amy!" Kitty whispered to her, her blue eyes dancing.

"Yes," Amelia replied mysteriously. "I confess I'm rather looking forward to that myself, actually."

"You're evil," Kitty remarked, chuckling. "Poor Delbert…"

"I certainly hope so," Amelia whispered back from beneath her veil. Kitty just shook her head, and prepared to march in step with her partner, some human fellow from the Admiralty. As the couple before her reached the appropriate pew, Kitty tugged the man's arm to get him to move. She hoped this would be over quickly…

Kitty didn't really pay the whole affair much attention after she was in position to the left and behind Amelia and Delbert. She diligently stood there---in her uncomfortable heels---choosing to remember the way she felt when Alex looked her way as she walked down the aisle in her dress. She had to stifle a grin at the look of awe and wonder in Alex's face. She'd surprised him all right, and left him looking after her in amazement as she took her place. Boy, what she wouldn't of given to have a camera just then. His expression was simply priceless…why, it nearly made her feel as if---just maybe!---wearing a dress was worth it…just for that. After that, she recalled handing over tissue after tissue to a gently weeping Sarah who seemed to be fated to cry at weddings. Oh, that was when Sarah wasn't catching her in the ribs with a most proficient elbow when she attempted to drowse as the ceremony droned on and on.

Kitty did pay attention, however, when it came time for Delbert and Amelia to exchange their vows. Kitty shook her head, marveling just how angelic Amelia looked beneath her veil. That was marked contrast from the woman who could reduce the saltiest of spacers to near tears with her tongue, Kitty thought, grinning. But, even Kitty was touched as Delbert raised Amelia's veil, and his deep brown eyes looked adoringly into Amelia's green ones. For once, he seemed to be in control of himself and his vows were spoken with nary a stumble or faux pas. Maybe it was something in the church, but when Amelia said her vows in reply, her voice had some…well, ring to it, that made her seem even lovelier than she already was. As they slipped their rings onto one another's fingers, the looks the two gave one another, told Kitty all she needed to know: these two were meant for each other.

"Now, by the powers vested in me," the cleric pronounced at the end of the ceremony. "I now pronounce you husband and wife." The kindly, elderly canid smiled beneficently at them, and added. "Go ahead, my boy…you may kiss your bride."

Delbert intended to give Amelia a rather chaste little kiss---they were in front of hundreds of people, you know---but Amelia had other plans. She slipped her strong slender hand behind his neck and kissed the poor man rather soundly before all and sundry! Kitty, being the rabble-rouser that she was, whooped at the kiss. That elicited a rousing round of applause, which had both Amelia and Delbert smiling.

Kitty, nearest to the two, overhead Delbert say, "What was that all about, my love?" he said out of the corner of his mouth, waving to all the applauding crowd.

Amelia smiled, the blushing bride, waving with her husband. She then answered a moment later, "What that? I just wanted to be sure I had your undivided attention, Delbert. Oh, and to be sure just how much you love me, of course." Amelia's green eyes twinkled.

Delbert gazed in wonder at his bride. "I dare say that no kiss could show you just how much I love you, dear heart," he told her.

"You're sweet," she replied. "But, I think I shall still give you plenty of opportunity to see if you might, dear…"

Amelia laughed gently as Delbert blushed.

Kitty remembered looking for Alex in the seats as she returned down the aisle as they were all dismissed. He still sported a most bewildered look, and that suited Kitty just fine, thank you. Carriages were summoned, one after another, and the procession was led back to the Doppler mansion to celebrate.

Kitty hadn't seen all that many of the guests during the wedding itself. After all, most of the time she'd had her back to them. So, it surprised her more than a little to see that nearly every spacer from the crew from her first voyage was in attendance at Amelia's reception. One after another, made their way toward her, as she stood in the reception line outside the mansion. Kitty smiled and spoke to each in their turn: Horus, Kenai, Peter, as well as all the others, each talking about the old days aboard the Legacy. After the line had finally winded down, Kitty smiled and looked up at the clock. She cleared her throat, and boomed, "Excuse me, gentlemen…but I have something I simply need to attend to. See you all later!"

She headed to the front of the banquet room, where everyone could see her. "ALL RIGHT! EVERYONE! COULD I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE?"

Everyone turned to look up towards her. Kitty waved, then continued her say, "First off, let me offer my congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Doppler!" She raised glass of grape juice toward where Delbert and Amelia stood, arm-in-arm, Delbert holding Amelia lovingly about her slender waist.

Kitty waited for the applause to abate. "Second, let me tell each and every one of you that one can´t really have a party without any singing now, can we?" she asked, eliciting a roar from the revelers. Kitty smiled, then brought up a guitar from seemingly out of nowhere. "Now, back home where I´m from, mind you, I remember a song. A song that I feel like singing this evening. Once I'm done, well, after that you can put on a gramophone or whatever you want."

Kitty smiled lovingly at her sister, just before starting to play and sing the following tune, accompanying herself on guitar:

_There you see her,_

_Sitting there across the edge._

_She don't got a lot to say, _

_But there is something about her._

_And you don't know why, _

_But you are dying to try,_

_You wanna Kiss the girl!_

Delbert nodded his head, which brough laughter from the crowd, and a look of surprised from Amelia, who grinned affectionately at her husband.

_Yes, you want her._

_Look at her, you know you do._

_Possible she wants you too, _

_But there is one way of asking her._

_It don't take a word,_

_Not a single word, _

_Just go on and kiss the girl!_

Delbert promptly did just that!!!

_Sha la la la la la!_

_My, oh my!_

_Look like the boy too shy,_

_He ain't gonna kiss the girl!_

_Sha la la la la la!_

_Ain't that sad,_

_Ain't it a shame, too bad,_

_You're gonna miss the girl!_

Amelia shook her head at this, and hugged Delbert to herself, grinning.

_Now's your moment,_

_Floating in a blue lagoon._

_Boy, you better do it soon,_

_No time will be better,_

_She don't say a word,_

_And she won't say a word, _

_Until you kiss the girl!_

Kitty waggled a finger at the two of them, bidding them to wait.

_Sha la la la la la!_

_Don't be scared,_

_You've got the mood prepared,_

_Go on and kiss the girl!_

_Kitty beckoned Delbert to follow her words with action, and the crowd whooped when he did so!_

_Sha la la la la la!_

_Don't stop now,_

_Don't try to hide it how, _

_You wanna kiss the girl! _

_Sha la la la la la!_

_Float along, _

_And listen to the song,_

_The song say, kiss the girl!_

_This time Amelia did the honors, and the crowd laughed appreciatively. Kitty just grinned, and strummed along._

_Sha la la la la!_

_The music play,_

_Do what the music say,_

_You gotta kiss the girl!_

Kitty finished the song, and Delbert and Amelia kissed one last time, at which the crowd cheered them.

Kitty was an excellent singer, and usually had a song for nearly every occasion.

After dinner, Amelia got to her feet, and also asked for everyone's attention.

"Excuse me, everyone?" she boomed in a voice that belied her slender frame. "I'm afraid it's that time now. Yes, time to throw the bouquet! Now, every one of you single gals out there into the center. You gents, give us all some room, would you? Thanks!"

The single laides eagerly moved to the center of the room…with the exception of one, of course: Kitty.

"Kitty! Come now, you're unattached," Amelia said turning towards her sister.

"Amelia," Kitty reasoned. "We've been through this before, haven't we? I´m not going to get married, have any boyfriend, or have any children…so why would I be interested in catching that thing, hmm?"

Amelia could only sigh, shake her head, and get on with the toss. Many a face in the crowd appeared a bit shocked at Kitty's attitude, but they said nothing, which was probably for the best.

Sarah spun Amelia playfully around to disorient her a bit, then faced her with her back to the girls. Amelia closed her eyes, brough her bouquet down, then gently heaved it over her shoulder into the waiting masses of feminity. The little bouquet of flowers was caught by a woman Kitty recognized as Delbert's cousin, Elizabeth. Everyone cheered on her behalf, before the party continued on.

The party lasted well into the wee hours of the evening and on into next morning. Despite wanting her guest to be happy, Amelia had finally had enough for the day. She got to her feet, and with Delbert, they sent everybody home to their beds.

It took nearly an hour to escort everyone out and to their carriages. Amelia, once the last fellow had been removed, wearily pushed the door closed, and sagged against it, sighing. "Now, don't get me wrong or anything, but I thank God that I will only marry once," she said. She closed her eyes wearily, then looked over at Kitty and Sarah. "If I had to hear one more of them ask me how many children I intend to have, I am going to scream!"

"Hey, Amy! I never asked you! Just how many…," Kitty began, just to be funny. The look on Amelias face told her to shut her mouth. Kitty shuddered. "Okay, okay…sheesh. I was only kidding."

"Droll as ever, dear heart," Amelia replied, arching one perfect brow. "Very well then, Kitty, now hear this," Amelia said. "Delbert and I are leaving to begin our honeymoon tomorrow. And, that being the case, when we do, I am leaving Sarah in charge. Do you hear me, sister dear?"

"Why, of course I do, Mrs. Doppler," Kitty said.

Amelia shook her head, grinning. "Ever the rogue, dear. But, I'm glad that's clear then," Amelia said, and kissed Kitty on her forehead.

Kitty then snapped her fingers, and sighed in obvious relief as she now stood dressed in her usual clothes. "God! That felt good!" she said in a heartfelt voice. She then yawned, as evidently the day had finally caught up to even her. "Now, sister mine, I'm turning in for the night." And with a huge yawn, she walked past Amelia, heading up to her room.

Amelia shook her head before making her towards her new husband, thinking that now Delbert and she could finaly have some time for themselves…


	39. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Cassandra looked up and smiled in satisfaction. "Now, my dears, it´s getting rather late, so I´ll have to pare down the other things that happened after Amelia's wedding. Well, you see, the very next day, Kitty got early up to say her good-bye to her sister and new brother-in-law. She then gave Amelia a second wedding present: a golden ring. Needless to say, I don´t think I´ll need to tell you both that now Amelia possessed the magic ring I once had given to Kitty so long ago…only that it now was imbued with some of Kitty's own magic as well." Cassandra paused, then continued.

"Now, when Amelia returned from her honeymoon, she took Kitty downtown, to a friend she knew that lived there. Kitty fairly quickly ascertained that her sister still wanted her revenge for those pierced ears of hers because this friend of hers turned out to be the owner of Benbow's most exclusive beauty parlor," Cassandra told them, chuckling.

"Kitty earned my respect for her restraint…though, I will suffice to say that she ended up closing herself up in her room, refusing to even show her face to anyone at all, until Amelia removed the spell that made it impossible for Kitty to remove the makeup job she'd received…" Cassandra closed her eyes wearily for a moment, then snapped back awake and continued on.

"Alexander Dalley---you remember him, don't you?---well, he went and bought himself a house near the Doppler's. He explained this to all who asked, telling it was because he didn't want to be too far away from his friends. However, this explanation didn't fool Amelia in the least bit, as she clearly saw the blush on his cheeks, as well as all of his shy looks over at Kitty," Cassandra told them.

"Now, after a year or so, Amelia and Delbert were blessed with the births of their four little children. They were such cute youngsters! Amelia's Mr. Arrow could be often found sitting amongst the little ones as they played. Kitty was surprised to see how he was so gentle when he picked them up into his huge arms when they had fallen down, or simply started to get a bit cranky. All in all, things were going quite well for the Dopplers, one and all," Cassandra explained with a proud smile.

"After a few years, our Kitty figured out that she didn't feel the pull---like her sister, Amelia---to head back out for new adventures out in the Etherium. The supernova incident as well as the pirates on Treasure Planet voyage had proven to be more than enough. So, that being said, Kitty applied and landed herself a new job at the O.N.O.S. (I believe I mentioned that fine institution back somewhere in Chapter 16). There, she worked hard and enjoyed her work, and was loved by both the staff and patients as well. None too surprisingly, it wasn't very long before she got herself promoted to the next level of responsibility. This trend continued on at a rather rapid rate, until such time---only a little more than a year since her last promotion!--- she became the Head of the whole facility…" Cassandra told them all proudly, beaming at what her Kitty had been able to accomplish.

"Well, was it only a coincidence that one Mr. Alex Dalley just happened to work there as well? Mmm, perhaps. Or that soon after our Kitty went to became the Headmistress, that he too was promoted, becoming the Deputy Headmaster? Again, I'll say perhaps. But, the best surprise of all came upon the very day of Amelia's 45th birthday, when the Dopplers had the most unexpected and pleasant of surprises when both Kitty and Alex came over for a visit...

Amelia welcomed her dear sister as Delbert escorted both Kitty and Alex inside the front door.

"Happy Birthday, Amy!" Kitty said, hugging her sister happily.

"Oh, I do wish you'd stop calling me 'Amy'," Amelia sighed wearily. She hadn't broken Kitty of that habit yet, and she held little hope that would ever change. "So, my dears, how is everything going with the both of you?"

"Great, thanks, Amelia," Alex said, after he too received a hug from Amelia. "Well, as a matter of fact, better than great, really." He turned to Kitty, who was for some reason blushing rather prettily that moment, then gazed down significantly to her left hand. Amelia, one perfect eyebrow quirked in curiosity, followed Alex's gaze down, and gasped as she saw a shining sapphire ring on Kitty's ring finger. Amelia's eyes widened, and she raised a hand over her now pounding heart, the faintest of hopes blossoming in her mind. Amelia blinked several times, her eyes gleaming from unshed tears. "Oh, my dear dear boy…please, oh please tell me that this means what I pray it means," she looked grinning to Kitty's lovely face, which turned redder still, though her smile was all the confirmation Amelia could need. "Oh, Kitty! My sweet sister! I'm so happy for you!" Amelia cried as she rushed to hug her sister, happy tears spilling down her cheeks.

Kitty sighed in her sister's arms, and flicked a warm glance at Alex, who grinned adoringly back at her. "I know, I know, Amy...it took me quite a while to finally realize the fact that I love Alex." Kitty smiled at Alex again, then stepped back from her proud happy sister. "So, you're in for a treat, sister dear. As we've gotten you three birthday presents this year," Kitty said. She grinned roguishly, then flicked up her index finger. "The first present is this!" She handed Amelia an envelope. "Inside that is your and Delbert's invitation to Alex and my wedding in four weeks time."

"Oh, Kitty," Amelia gushed. "I could hope for no better gift than to see you so happy…"

Kitty blushed again. "Stop that, Sis…you're making me look like I'm sunburned," she teased. "But wait…there's more."

Amelia grinned. "More? Oh, yes…those other two presents of which you spoke, hmm?" Amelia asked, disappointed that she hadn't figured it out what they were already.

Kitty smiled. "Oh, you'll love these two, Amy! Now, maybe you might want to take a seat, sister dear." Kitty guided a rapidly becoming irritated Amelia over to the nearest chair, and forced her to sit.

"Yes? Oh, do get on with it, Kitty! You were ever the dramatist," Amelia pretended to growl, but her fond smile gave her true feelings away.

"All right, but remember…you asked for it," Kitty said in mock warning. "In approximately two months time, my dear Amelia…you are going to be the proud Aunt of two marvelous children…**mine**! Oh, and Alex's too…" Kitty grinned.

"Oh, Kitty!" Amelia cried as she shot to her feet. "Really? You're not just teasing a poor old woman now, are you?"

"Now would I do something like that?" Kitty returned, then grimaced. "Yeah, now that you mention it, I would at that. But, no…let me assure you, I'm really going to be a mother, Amy."

"I'm so happy for you, my love," Amelia said, just before she began to cry happily, hugging her sister and mobbing her with kisses...

Cassandra looked up just then, getting a certain unmistakeable feeling. As she had finished telling her story, a woman appeared in the doorway, and she simply walked inside. Her face looked just like a humanoid cat with blond hair.

"Good morning, Cassandra," this woman remarked, smiling. Cassandra nodded her head, returning the greeting. "I've came to pick up these two," she added, pointing significantly down to were two little felinid children now sat enthralled by the story they had just heard..

"But, Momma," the little boy whined, clearly wanting another story. Auntie Cassandra was telling us about you and Daddy's story!"

Kitty---and yes, it was the very same Kitty---smiled indulgently at her children. "Yes, and you both have heard it so many times that you most likely know like the back of your hand. Now, do come along, dears…we need to get home."

"Aw, but Momma!" the two kids whined in protest.

"Tim Brian Dalley, and Amelia Suzanne Dalley, we---are---going---home! NOW!" Kitty growled. The children looked quickly away, wincing. When their Mother used that particular tone of voice---as well as stating their full names, no less!---they knew better than to do anything else other than what she told them to.

"Yes, Momma," the two replied, both obediantly as well as a trifle bit sulkily. "We're ready."

Kitty nodded, took each by their hand, and before Cassandra's eyes the three most remarkable figures simply disappeared…leaving behind the glow of a little yellow light. Cassandra laughed, shaking her head. There was simply no doubt about it…that family of Kitty's was quite special indeed…

End

HUGE AN: Okay! The story, "A Girl, A Captain and an Adventure" is now finished. To those of you who didn't quite understood the ending, let me explain. Cassandra from the beginning of the story to the end, is telling her tale to both of Kitty and Alex's children. So, when Cassandra---in the beginnig---said hello and all of that, she was talking to the two of them. Get it now? Okay, now… I do plan to write a sequel to this story, but not just now, as I need a break. I've got other things to do than to write, so I hope you guys all do understand. Oh, one more thing. Kitty's children's names were not simply picked out at random. Oh no…they are precisely the names I'd give to my children if I ever decide I'm going to have any.


End file.
